Before I Fall: A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction
by sydneyjohnson268
Summary: Before Gabriel Agreste became a villain, he was once a superhero. What happened before he fell? What was the man behind the mask like before he lost everything? *Will update 3 chapters each week. Also contains some mature content.
1. Chapter 1

Gabriel-Chapter 1

Gabriel Agreste concentrated hard on the sketchbook in front of him, biting his tongue as the beginnings of a dress took shape. For anyone daring enough to wear it, it would definitely be a big hit in the fashion industry. The beige dress had a high collar and was see-through from the top all the way down to the bottom of the mermaid-style dress that swept outward like beautiful amber waves. However, thick, lacy designs covered both the front and the back, and then lined the hem of the dress. Magnificent.

"Gabriel!" a deep voice shouted, making Gabriel instantly slam his sketchbook closed as his father entered the drawing room. If his father ever knew what he was doing in the shadows of his life, his life would be ruined.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, father?" Gabriel stammered as he fixed his glasses so they lay straight on his nose.

His father, John, took a deep breath and sighed. "You're twenty-six years old. It's about time you stop stammering and speak like the nobleman you are. I thought we broke this habit of yours years ago."

The backs of Gabriel's ears turned red with shame. Although he had been born with a speech impediment, he had worked so hard to get rid of it. It wasn't unless he was nervous or caught off guard when he stuttered like a blubbering fool—which, admittedly, usually happened around beautiful women or when he had to speak in front of large groups of people. However, if he concentrated hard enough, he didn't have too much of a problem.

Right then, his mother, Bridget, walked in and gasped. "Gabriel! You're not dressed yet! We're leaving in five minutes! It's important that you be there. After all, you're the next face of the Agreste fortune."

Holding his sketchbook tight to his chest, Gabriel hurried up the stairs and didn't breathe a sigh of relief until he shut his bedroom door behind him. If only he could move out… Life would be so much better without his parents breathing down his back.

In a hurry, Gabriel picked out a nice suit and tie, smoothed his hair down until it looked slick and clean, and then rushed back downstairs, just in time before his mother blew a gasket.

"Look, and a minute left to spare," Gabriel said sassily as he walked past his mother and out the door, climbing into the waiting car. Of course, John was on the phone as always, so he didn't hear the sass. "Who knew that it didn't take three hours to get ready for a benefit dinner?"

Bridget scowled so ladylike that he wasn't entirely sure it was a scowl. "You better put that mouth of yours away when we meet with the Bourgeois family. Your fiancée will be there, so be on your best behavior."

Gabriel clenched his fists at the mention of Bourgeois. "Samantha isn't my fiancée."

"We arranged the marriage when you were born. Two wealthy families joining together as one? What could be more perfect? The two of you will marry and create beautiful children. It's all a mother could ever ask for." She pursed her lips as she glided her lipstick over her lips. It took all of Gabriel's self-control not to point out that it was the wrong shade of red for the color of dress she wore. "You should count yourself lucky to be engaged to such a wonderful young woman. After all, she helped put on this dinner."

"I'm not marrying into that family," Gabriel muttered under his breath. "She has horrible fashion sense."

"What was that, darling?" Bridget asked, applying powder to her face for the second time in the last ten minutes.

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

On top of having a horrible fashion sense, he had nothing in common with Samantha. She didn't like him for him, but rather the money and renown behind the family name. What he wouldn't give just to escape his family name and do something unique with his life.

His thoughts turned to his sketchbooks, which brought a smile to his face. Maybe someday he'd be recognized for his designs.

All too soon, the car pulled up in front of Le Grand Paris and already, Gabriel felt dead inside. Social gatherings certainly weren't his thing. He'd rather be reading at the library or locking himself away to doodle with his designs. Besides, it took so much of his concentration not to stutter in front of so many people. Would anyone notice if he disappeared for a while?

Begrudgingly, Gabriel followed his parents out of the car and into the hotel, and unsurprisingly, the hotel looked even fancier than it normally did. Guests sipped champagne from crystal goblets, silver and gold littered the lobby and the ballroom, and tables had been set up all around the ballroom floor with cutlery that looked as expensive as the hotel itself. The Bourgeois family really went all out on this dinner.

Gabriel boredly glanced around while his parents disappeared to mingle. Many people who attended the party were rich wannabes while other more recognized people walked the floor with those wannabes looking as if they were about to kiss their feet. Even now, Gabriel could easily point out those who came from a background of wealth and fame, and those who only pretended to fit in. However, the whole aspect bored him and he quickly found himself studying what everyone wore. Several people tried to pass off their dresses as designed by mysterious designers from another country when they obviously came from no name retail outlets. Others, he could only gawk at, as they would cost a fortune just to get that designer's time, let alone have them design a dress for them.

Sweeping his gaze across the sea of colorful people, Gabriel's heart completely stopped as he caught sight of a sweeping emerald green train. That couldn't possibly be…

The woman began moving and Gabriel couldn't help himself as he followed after, ducking under waiters' trays and dodging past people who looked as if they were dying to approach him. And then finally, his suspicions were confirmed as his eyes raked up and down the dress. He knew the design all too well—flowing emerald green fabric that had a slit on each side of the leg that traveled all the way up the thigh, a fitted bodice that showed curves in all the right places, and a wide, beaded halter neck that gave the appearance of fame and wealth despite who wore it.

"Like what you see?" the woman asked coyly, making Gabriel's cheeks fill with an instant blush. In any normal circumstance, he may have stammered, but he felt way too excited about having found this creation.

"Where did you get your dress?" Gabriel asked as he tried to suppress a grin. "I haven't seen anything like it in all of Paris."

The woman smiled and gently touched the crystals woven around her neck. "The designer's name is Gawain Papillion. You've heard of him, I assume?"

Another woman cut in right then, preventing him from answering. "Rumor has it that isn't his real name," she said. "He's mysterious and has never shown up to any fashion shows, neither has he shown his face at designer showings. I absolutely love his designs and I'm dying to meet him."

Gabriel's mouth twitched in a smile. Little did she know that she just met the designer, but for now, he'd rather keep his true identity a secret. If his father ever caught a whiff of what Gabriel did with his time on the side, he'd likely never get to design again. That would probably be the worst thing that could ever happen to him.

Suddenly becoming flustered at the praise, Gabriel backed out of there and found his spot at a round table in the ballroom, the tablecloth gold to match the interior design. If he had to see gold one more time…

"Mrs. Moreau just complimented my earrings," Bridget said as she turned her head to the side so Gabriel could see the gold that dangled from her earlobes and he had to stop himself right in his tracks as he was just about to sigh. So much gold at one party… Was it really necessary?

"Thank you all for coming tonight to our benefit dinner!" a female voice said in the microphone at the front of the room and Gabriel couldn't see past Samantha's curled brown hair, her brown eyes, or even her bright smile. All he could see was the dress she wore and her shoes that clearly didn't match.

No no no no no. Those shoes did _not_ go with that dress. This was a disaster! Why couldn't anybody else see that? Or was he the only one who wasn't hopeless enough to notice it?

Continuing, Samantha said, "The children at the orphanage will certainly be blessed by your participation. Now before we get started on dinner, I'd like to invite a very special guest up here to give a few more opening remarks. Gabriel Agreste? Will you please join me up here?"

Gabriel choked on the champagne he had just been drinking as all eyes turned on him. No one told him he'd be giving a speech tonight! He had absolutely no time to prepare!

Very hesitantly, Gabriel stood up from his chair and made his way to the front. But when he looked out over the audience, he completely froze. There had to be hundreds of people here tonight. He was going to bomb this. He was completely going to bomb this. Gabriel wasn't so much as worried about what he'd say rather than worried about choking on his words.

He took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but immediately regretted it as he did, indeed, choke on his words. "W-W-W-We're—" He stopped and had to force himself not to run right off the stage in horror. He could do this.

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel cleared his throat and smiled, trying to play it off. "Did anyone else feel that tremor in here?"

The audience laughed, thankfully helping to put him more at ease. He'd pretend no one was in here. Just him and Samantha. Short and sweet.

"I'd like to thank the Bourgeois' for putting together this event so that we may all attend and support the orphanages in need. Let's all give them a round of applause."

In one sweep, the audience burst into applause and Gabriel took that moment to escape the spotlight, but not before Samantha could place a kiss on his cheek. Ugh. Was he the only one on board with the fact that they weren't engaged?

Gabriel slipped back into his seat just as the food began getting served. The sooner this night ended, the better.


	2. Chapter 2

Madeline-Chapter 2

She felt so bored. Why was it that Madeline somehow got stuck catering at the events where someone had died or, in this case, people were probably about to expire from sheer boredom?

"Don't look now, but there's a cutie at your four o'clock," her friend, Monique, teased as she passed by with a tray. Madeline glanced toward a tall, blonde man with glasses framing his gray eyes. He stood straight, with broad shoulders and a lean build that looked as though he came by muscle naturally rather than putting in hours upon hours at the gym. He was definitely handsome, but she also didn't miss the brunette who had practically wrapped herself around him.

"I'm pretty sure he's taken," she laughed, rolling her eyes at Monique. "Besides, I'm too busy for dating anyway."

Monique pressed her bright red lips together, raising an eyebrow at Madeline. "Can I be honest? You need a life, girl! All you ever do is work."

"I still want to finish college," Madeline shrugged, picking up a tray and balancing it against her shoulder. "Besides, men are all the same. They're boring."

Monique raised her eyes to the ceiling. "You're too picky for your own good."

Laughing, Madeline made her way back to the kitchen. She didn't care what anyone thought about her dating habits, even her friends. Madeline had been on her own for nearly half her life and she didn't want any extra weight tying her down. She wasn't made for staying on the ground. She was born to fly.

Setting her tray of empty dishes down, she picked up a bottle of wine. One good thing about these fundraisers was that the rich people loved to drink. And the more they drank, the more generous they became with tips—something she was in desperate need of if she was ever going to make it back to college to finish her degree in art. She longed to study the great works of art across Europe and around the world, but that required money.

Pushing open the door, Madeline surveyed the glittering room full of the wealthiest of the wealthy. On her right, a fluttery sort of woman showed her earrings off to another woman who was draped in so many jewels she was positively blinding. On her left, a rotund man with a red face gestured for her to refill his wine glass with a wink. She bit her lip—he looked like he might be a little over served already.

"Another glass of that delightful Tempranillo if you please," he slurred his speech ever so slightly at the end of his sentence, confirming her suspicions.

"I'm sorry, sir," Madeline said firmly. "But I can't do that."

The man narrowed his beady dark eyes, glaring at her furiously. "I demand another glass of wine."

Madeline planted her feet, meeting his glare without flinching. She had been defending herself against bullies her whole life, the orphanage had been full of them. This man was just another jerk trying to intimidate her into getting what he wanted.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said again. "It's against the law."

His reflexes were surprisingly fast as his hand shot out and grabbed her arm so tight she could feel his nails digging into her skin. He was strong, but she could take it. Heaven knew she'd endured a lot worse.

"I said _I want another glass of wine,_ " he snarled. When Madeline shook her head again, he flung her from him and sent her reeling backward. Madeline tried to catch herself before she fell, but someone else beat her to it. A pair of steady, strong hands grasped her upper arms and helped her to her feet.

"A-A-Are you okay?" the man that Monique had commented on earlier asked when she regained her balance.

"I'm fine, thanks," she smiled, smoothing her wrinkled shirt where the man had grabbed it. There was undeniable sympathy in the man's eyes, but if there was one thing Madeline couldn't stand, it was pity.

"I should get back…" she began, but was cut off by her manager poking his head out the kitchen door and gesturing angrily for her to come over.

" _Merde_ ," she cursed under her breath, quickly backing away from Mr. Attractive Rich Guy and moving toward the kitchen. She knew she was fired before Anton even opened his mouth. His cardinal rule for any event they catered was under no circumstances should any of his servers make a scene. She could feel eyes on her back as she made her way across the room, whispers following in her wake. But what else could she have done?

"I think you know you're done here," Anton scowled, holding his hand out for her apron. "Return the rest of your uniform in the morning."

Madeline nodded, picking up her purse and walking out into the sweltering summer night. But instead of making her way across the street, she climbed the fire escape on the outside of the building. Staring out at the city lights, she opened her purse to let a little blue creature out. Her tail fluttered in the breeze as she came to hover right in front of Madeline.

"That wasn't fair and you know it," Duusu said indignantly, her lower lip sticking out. Madeline sighed.

"Life isn't fair, Duusu. That's just the way things are. Besides, the rich people profit the most from these benefit dinners anyway. Now do you want to do some _real_ good tonight?"

Duusu nodded and Madeline closed her eyes, transforming in a flutter of deep blue feathers. Her waitress outfit melted into a blue and green suit with smooth feather-like details outlining her figure. Her green eyes were covered by a mask as she became her true self, Night Wing.

No one knew her secret. There weren't many people close enough to her to tell anyway. Madeline felt far more comfortable as her alter ego. In this form, she could protect people the way she wished someone had been there to protect her parents during that bank robbery. She closed her eyes, fighting off the memories of the frightened nine-year-old she had been—left entirely alone in the world. She was stronger now thanks to an old man who had taken pity on her and taught her how to fight back.

Stepping to the edge of the roof, she looked down at the street below before propelling herself off the roof into the night air. She let out a whoop of joy as she used her powers to fly away from the benefit dinner. This was who she really was, this was where she was free. She wasn't made for staying on the ground. She was born to fly.


	3. Chapter 3

Gabriel-Chapter 3

Muses were strange things. They struck inspiration when one least expected it, even in the midst of a fire. Yes, a fire. A full blown, blazing inferno that threatened to tear down the entire building. How did Gabriel get stuck in a sticky situation such as this? Well…

He covered his hand over his mouth as he let out another cough as the intense heat entered his lungs. From his vantage point on the ground, he glanced up to try and find an exit, but all he saw were yellow and orange flames licking the walls all around him, making escape impossible. Gabriel should have been terrified for his life, but he felt more ticked off than anything. Who would do something like this? It certainly wasn't an accident that the gasline _happened_ to come loose and that a spark _happened_ to set the line on fire. Someone did this on purpose.

Gabriel flinched as part of the upper floor splintered and debris rained down on top of him. Thankfully, he was the only one left in the orphanage. Gabriel and Samantha had gone over to visit, and next thing he knew, the entire building went up in flames. He had managed to help Samantha and the kids escape through the window, but then the floor crumbled beneath his feet, landing him in the basement with a very sprained ankle. There were no windows down here. And just from looking around, he felt convinced that there weren't any stairs either.

"Get up!" he told himself as he somehow managed to get onto his hands and knees. The smoke clouded his eyesight, blinding his path. But if he stayed still, he'd die. Moving was the only way he'd get out of this alive.

He placed his hand on the wall, but instantly retracted it with a hiss as the heat seared his skin. Unfortunately, he had never felt so trapped.

Another cough escaped his lungs as he wildly glanced around for an escape but found nothing. But then a horrible, excruciating thought struck him. His bag! Where was his bag?! All his latest designs were in the sketchbook in his bag. This had to be the worst day in the world.

Gabriel hissed in pain as he forced himself to his feet while burying his face in the crook of his elbow. Forget an escape route! He needed to find that bag!

Before he could even try to take a step forward, something came barrelling through the window upstairs, taking him completely by surprise. However, his eyes widened as he took the beautiful scene in. The woman came bursting through the window with an expertly maneuvered dive, her blonde ponytail following after her like a ray of gold sunshine. It was the woman's outfit that caught his attention, gleaming against the wildness of the fire like cool-toned jewels that were on display, sparkling beneath a glass case. Gabriel had never seen anything so magnificent in his life…

"Hey, are you okay?" the woman called down to him from the floor above, shaking him out of his stupor.

Gabriel glanced behind him, but then nearly smacked himself in the forehead. Of course she was talking to him. Who else would it be?

"F-F-Fine," Gabriel replied, but then attempted to clear his throat. "I'm fine. You haven't happened to have seen a brown messenger bag anywhere, have you? It seems I have misplaced it…"

The woman in the blue mask stared back at him incredulously. "You're stuck in a burning building and that's all you're worried about? Come on, I need to get you out of here."

She lowered a rope down to him and with incredible superhuman strength, she pulled him up. But when he tried to put weight on his right foot, his leg caved out from beneath him and he tumbled into the mysterious woman, latching onto her to keep himself from falling. Despite the blazing heat, his ears turned red with fluster as he gazed back into her green eyes. This woman… She was incredibly beautiful.

"M-M-My bag," he stuttered, grimacing when his tongue suddenly wouldn't work right. He took a step toward where his bag sat by one of the now empty chairs, but his foot just couldn't support his weight.

"You've got to be kidding me," the woman said, righting him once more. "This bag better be worth more than both our lives, sweetcakes."

Before he could stop her, she sprang into action, jumping off one wall, then another, over the gap in the charred floor, and finally landed gracefully on the other side of the room. When she had his bag in tow, she came back to him just as gracefully and shoved the bag forcefully into his arms.

"Hold on tight, because this is going to be a bumpy ride."

Gabriel held on tight to her but wasn't ready for her sudden leap through the air, through the broken window, and suddenly he found himself suspended in mid-air as the woman _flew_. She was flying! They were flying! How did she do this?

Like she said, it certainly was a bumpy ride, as his weight couldn't be supported for long. They all but crashed into the ground just as another explosion caused a flash fire inside the building. Gabriel glanced back at the building with wide eyes, completely dazed. That could have been him inside that building. This woman saved him. She saved his life…

"Thank you," Gabriel finally choked out.

"I think you should be the one who should be thanked," she laughed, throwing her head back into the sunlight that hit her at such a flattering angle. "You saved all those kids. What's your name, by the way?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise. She wanted to know _his_ name? He suddenly felt like the luckiest man alive…

"G-Gabriel. Gabriel Agreste."

The woman shook his hand and smiled. "I'm Night Wing. It's very nice to meet you, Gabriel."

With one leap, Night Wing bounded into the air and Gabriel couldn't help but gawk after her as she disappeared. What a woman…

"Gabriel!" someone shrieked hysterically, and before he knew it, Samantha flew into his arms and started sobbing. "I was so scared. I thought I was going to die!"

He pressed his lips together in annoyance. She thought _she_ was going to die? He was stuck in the building fifteen minutes longer than her! Samantha was such a baby.

"Maybe you should call your dad," Gabriel urged just to get her away from him.

Samantha started sobbing even harder when the fire trucks came to attempt to douse the fire. "Yeah, I'll call him right now! Stay here. Promise you won't go anywhere? Please promise me. I don't think I can handle going through this myself."

It took every ounce of willpower not to groan and roll his eyes. He would rather die than be roped with this woman for the rest of his life. Why did no one ever believe him when he said he refused to marry her? It wasn't as if a proposal was going to happen _ever_.

"Yep, I promise."

Gabriel watched as Samantha ran over to the firefighters and started flirting with them by making them feel bad for her situation. She was very good at manipulation, that was for sure.

After checking that all the kids were alright, Gabriel just couldn't help himself as he limped over to the nearest bench and took his sketchbook out, his fingers moving furiously as he tried to catch the design that his latest muse inspired. It was a blue, green, and gold dress, with small accents of black, designed to look similar to a peacock silhouetted in the golden rays of summer. The sketched dress looked absolutely stunning, and he just yearned to get behind the sewing machine and make his latest creation come to life.

A wide grin split across his sooty face as he took in the dress when he finished the sketch. It would certainly be difficult to make, but it would look absolutely stunning when he finished it.

His thoughts turned to Night Wing and how she had so effortlessly jumped through the window and saved his life. If he could, he hoped that someday he might be able to repay her for what she did for him today.

One thing he knew for sure—he certainly would never forget her.


	4. Chapter 4

Madeline-Chapter 4

Curiosity caused Madeline to linger longer than she usually would have in a situation like this. What could be so important to Gabriel about that bag anyway? She stood in the shadows on a rooftop just over his head, watching as he withdrew a sketch pad and began drawing feverishly. He had almost died and the first thing he did when he was rescued was _draw_? What was wrong with this guy?

Madeline continued to watch him. She recognized him from the benefit dinner last night, but she hadn't thought she would run into him again so soon. What had he been doing at the orphanage today? It felt strange seeing the home she had spent most of her childhood in going up in flames—but she didn't feel a sense of loss. That orphanage had been her purgatory, the place where she had learned to fight back. Master Fu had taught her to be strong even when she was afraid.

She studied Gabriel a few moments longer. He pushed his tongue between his teeth as he sketched. She had to admit, it was kind of...cute. Madeline squinted at his drawing. She wasn't close enough to see what was taking shape on the page, only a swirl of bright blues and greens.

With a shrug, she leaped lightly to the pavement so that she was in earshot of the chief of police.

"It appears to be a gas leak, sir," a fireman said as she focused her attention on the conversation. "We're lucky young Mr. Agreste was here. He saved a lot of lives."

The police chief nodded, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he gazed up at the burned out shell of a building.

"Invite him to headquarters so that we can honor his bravery. We need some good press—the newspapers have focused far too much on how quickly crime has risen in Paris lately."

"And how we still haven't captured La Panthère," another officer interjected, earning himself a quelling glare from the police chief.

Madeline didn't stay for the rest of the conversation, she didn't need to. La Panthère was an elusive and clever thief. Article after article in the papers told of his stealth and cunning. He was always one step ahead of everyone, including her.

She took to the skies, carefully sticking to the shadows as she flew away. Rumors abounded about the lady peacock vigilante, but they were no more than that and she liked it that way.

She sailed back to her apartment and leaped lightly on the balcony, transforming as she dropped. Pushing the door open, she glanced at her phone which had remained here at the apartment. It blinked at her, indicating messages.

Picking it up, Madeline settled onto the couch to listen. The first one was unimportant, a reminder about an overdue book she had yet to even open. She simply hadn't had time. The second message made her sit up straight, her heart thumping hard against her ribs.

"Come out to play, little peacock," a menacing voice growled in her ear. "La Panthère is waiting."

She dropped the phone as though it had burned her, heart racing. She had no idea who La Panthère was and she had never breathed a word of her identity to anyone. How could he have known?

"What are you doing?" Duusu asked as Madeline darted over to the windows and began closing them, the uneasy feeling that she was being watched prickling the back of her neck.

"La Panthère knows who I am," she mumbled distractedly, turning off the phone. She'd have her number changed first thing in the morning.

"How?" Duusu gasped, tears forming in her eyes. Madeline bit her lip, shaking her head.

"I don't know how. But I intend to find out."

Trembling from head to foot, Madeline scolded herself for letting fear get the better of her. Master Fu said that fear would paralyze a person unless they channeled it. She would just have to channel this fear into finding La Panthère.

Picking up the mail she had carelessly flung on the counter this morning, she tried to distract herself with sorting through it. Her heart skipped again when she found a letter bearing the symbol of the Louvre. Quickly slitting the envelope, she opened it nervously and scanned its contents.

 _Dear Miss Masson,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the open position in the Archive Department…_

"I got it!" she squealed, waving the letter at her kwami. She had applied for this job months ago and had all but given up on hearing anything. "I got the job at the Louvre!"

Duusu smiled, zooming over to her shoulder. "That's great! You really wanted it!"

Madeline smiled. True, this was only a desk job sorting files, but at least she had her foot in the door so that she could work with the actual art as soon as she finished college.

"Oh, Duusu," Madeline sighed. "I'm so happy! I didn't think I'd get it."

Her kwami didn't reply, glancing uneasily at the shuttered windows. Duusu was always nervous or emotional. In fact, she often reminded Madeline of herself before she had been taught to school her emotions.

"What about La Panthère?"

Madeline shook her head. She should have known her kwami couldn't be distracted for long.

"First thing tomorrow, I'm changing my number and looking for a new place," she replied, clutching the letter tightly. "But for now, let me just have this one night to celebrate."


	5. Chapter 5

Gabriel-Chapter 5

All his life, Gabriel always thought that the Agreste manor was a lonely place, especially those times that he could hear his footsteps echoing off the white marble floors. That was the reason he liked to spend his time outside the manor rather than trying to fill the lonely void with more loneliness. Fortunately, he did receive solace from the emptiness as he spent time in the expansive Agreste library.

Piles of books lay on the desk around him as he perused them for what felt like the hundredth time each. The books about science interested him the most, but his most favorite book in the library told about the stars. Constellations, planets, and more. This was what he loved, and even better was that he could see these things for himself with the telescope he made by hand. His parents didn't care all too much for the stars, so he had the telescope all to himself. It was his secret wish to find someone special that shared his love of the stars, but in the world he grew up in, he found it difficult for anyone to care about anything other than the next big social event of the season.

Gabriel glanced at his watch and yawned, not realizing how long he had been in here until that moment.

Tucking the book under his arm, Gabriel stood up to leave, but his foot tripped on a piece of carpet and he found himself spiraling toward the bookcase. It was all he could do just to brace himself from the impact, squeezing his eyes shut, but to his surprise, the bookcase began to move, circling around to face the other side of the wall.

At first, Gabriel just gawked in surprise at the hidden room he now stared back at. Rows upon rows of shelves were filled with books of all shapes and sizes. However, he had a curious soul and couldn't stand there gawking for very long.

He gently trailed his fingers over dusty volumes that looked like they hadn't been read in ages. Afterward, he moved to the small display case in the corner and blew the dust off the glass to reveal an artifact inside. It looked like...a staff of some sort, with a dull purple orb at the top. What was this?

To his dismay, the display was locked shut, preventing entry.

A large volume caught his attention on the other side of the room, also in a display case. Fortunately, this case opened easily and he soon found himself holding a book filled with images and legends. The legends told of seven Miraculouses that were wielded by heroes that had enough heart to protect the world from danger. Starting from the very beginning, the book explained how the Miraculouses came to be. Great evil spread over the land and to stop this evil, a group of seven journeyed far and climbed the highest peak of the tallest mountain, fighting off demons of every kind, until they finally reached the peak. At the peak was a fountain that each man and woman drank from that gave them great powers—the power to destroy the enemies that plagued the land. And this supposedly was the beginning of what happened to be the seven Miraculouses.

Gabriel snorted with laughter. This was just a fairy tale—a children's book.

He moved to put it back, but froze in his tracks as an image caught his eye. His eyes widened more and more as he stared back at the all-too-familiar image of what the book described as the peacock Miraculous. The image depicted a woman wearing a blue and green outfit with feathers and a mask, and his thoughts immediately turned to the woman who called herself Night Wing. It couldn't be…

Very loudly, Gabriel sucked in a breath of surprise as he turned through page after page, taking in every detail he possibly could. Realization hit him hard like a baseball to the face—this wasn't just a fairy tale. This was real. And Night Wing was proof of it.

Now Gabriel read through the pages with the intent of learning more about this ancient power, and it wasn't until he read about ancient catacombs did he realize that he might be able to find out more information about this power at the Louvre right here in Paris. He could read the rest of the books later. But for now, he had to get to the Louvre.

Tucking the book in his bag along with his designs, Gabriel flew down the stairs and out the door until he flagged down one of the Agreste drivers to take him to the Louvre.

The Louvre loomed above him in its magnificent glass glory, and when he'd normally have stopped to stare at the beauty of it, he didn't pause once as he rushed into the building, nearly out of breath when he finally arrived. Normally, he wouldn't have been in such a hurry, but he just felt so excited! He felt as if he just stumbled on something big and he wouldn't rest until he knew everything about it.

But where would be a good place to start?

Gabriel opened the book in both his hands as he slowly walked through the Louvre, starting at the caveman exhibit. This was as primitive as it could get, so it was as good of a starting place as any.

"An ancient power?" Gabriel mused quietly, adjusting his glasses so he could read and walk at the same time. He took note of every single plaque and every detail of the exhibit, but unfortunately, he found nothing of interest. Therefore, he moved from exhibit to exhibit until he finally found himself in the ancient Egyptian exhibit. Could he possibly find something in here?

He became so focused on reading the book in his hands as he walked that he didn't see the person he ran into as they both rounded the corner on opposite sides. The two of them smacked hard into each other and everything in Gabriel's hands and messenger bag went flying, including his glasses.

"I'm so sorry!" Gabriel gasped on his hands and knees, his vision completely blurred from his horrible eyesight. "I should have been watching where I was going."

"It's alright," a woman said, chuckling lightly. "I'm the one who should be more careful."

Gabriel's cheeks filled with heat at the sound of her voice. She sounded just like…

Hurriedly, he reached out with his hands and scrambled to find his glasses on the floor, but his glasses seemed to be blended in with the ground against the blur in his eyes. He couldn't see a thing.

"Looking for these?" she asked, and Gabriel let out a sigh of relief as he took the pair of glasses from her. When he could finally see, his emotions came one at a time from disappointment that the woman before him wasn't Night Wing to embarrassment that he ran into her to fluster because she was beautiful. But even more than that, he recognized her. She was the waitress from the benefit dinner.

"T-T-Thanks," Gabriel stuttered, but then kicked himself. He didn't need to sound like a blubbering idiot in front of her.

"We need to stop running into each other like this," she laughed. "This is the third time in a week…" The woman quickly closed her mouth as if she said something wrong.

Strange… He only remembered running into her twice this week. Could it really have been three times?

Gabriel laughed shyly. After all, he had thought she was beyond beautiful the first time he saw her, but now that he could see her up close, he could hardly speak. She had beautiful blonde hair, bright green eyes, and freckles that dotted her cheeks and across her nose. There was also something about the set of her lips that made her look as if she could be a doll sitting on the shelf at a collector's shop.

He suddenly couldn't breathe.

Thankfully, the woman spoke for him so he didn't have to. "You're Gabriel Agreste, right? I remember you giving a short little speech at the benefit dinner."

It took a few seconds to collect himself before he spoke to her—he felt determined not to stutter in front of her again. "It was awful, wasn't it? I hate speaking in front of crowds."

"But it probably wasn't so bad because your fiancée was up there too, right?"

Gabriel couldn't help the grimace that showed on his face before he could politely stop it. However, it was too late. She already saw it so he might as well explain himself. "You mean Samantha? No no no no no. We're definitely not engaged. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one on board with the truth. Sure, we grew up together, but she's just as spoiled as the rest of them."

Another grimace filled his entire expression, but this time he grimaced at himself. He really hadn't meant to let his tongue loose. But there didn't seem to be an in-between for him. Either he'd stutter, or he just couldn't watch what his mouth said.

"I'm sorry," Gabriel said, reaching for his messenger bag. "I try not to speak my opinions. All it ever does is create a mess."

The woman didn't seem to notice how flustered he suddenly became. Instead, she reached for the books that he dropped. All the color drained from his face as she studied the book he found in his secret library.

"Where did you get this?" she breathed, her eyes wide.

"I-I-I found it," he stuttered as he grabbed the book away from her and stuffed it into his messenger bag. "I-I-I probably should get going. Sorry again for running into you, Miss…"

The woman smiled and reached out to shake his hand. "Madeline Masson."

Gabriel smiled shyly at the sudden contact. Madeline was so pretty…

Realizing that he was grinning stupidly while practically holding her hand, Gabriel dropped it suddenly and adjusted his glasses once more as if using it as something to hide behind. He had to get out of there, otherwise he just might melt right where he stood.

"See ya later," he muttered as he turned and started walking away, but then he stopped short when he heard her reply.

"I hope so."

His ears burned up as he continued walking once more. If he blushed anymore, he'd erupt just like Mount Vesuvius. Could she tell how much he was blushing? Oh man, he felt so embarrassed.

However, he couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. Perhaps they would see each other again. After all, his research at the Louvre wasn't over.


	6. Chapter 6

Madeline-Chapter 6

Madeline watched Gabriel's retreating form with interest as he made his way down to the Egyptian wing of the museum. How had he come by that book? The Miraculous holders guarded their secrets carefully and any information on them was rare. Was he a Miraculous holder? Somehow, she didn't think so, but that didn't mean it was impossible. How then had he gotten the book?

Shaking her head, she walked across the marble floor to the doors, showing her identification to the guard at the desk. She had been so busy all day, she had almost forgotten to eat lunch. Madeline's stomach rumbled as she neared a street vendor selling gyros, her favorite. The smell from the cart made her stomach rumble again and she put a hand on it to quiet the noise.

After paying for her food, she sat down on a bench in the Louvre plaza. As she ate, her thoughts turned to Gabriel Agreste once again without her even realizing it. He was certainly handsome and he wasn't actually engaged, but they were still worlds apart from each other. He had wealth she could only dream of while she was struggling to make ends meet.

With a little groan, she remembered why she had wanted to have lunch out here in the first place. Picking up the newspaper she had tucked under her arm, she glanced at the apartment listings again. There was nothing available, at least nothing she could afford. Even the cheapest places were still out of her price range.

"What am I going to do?" she asked the empty plaza. She made more money at this job, but with the threat of La Panthère hanging over her, she didn't want to wait much longer to move.

"You could start by giving me a bite of that," her kwami squeaked from where she sat in Madeline's purse. Madeline chuckled, breaking off a piece of bread for Duusu as she continued to study the apartment listings. She had changed her number, but if La Panthère knew who she was, she couldn't count on that keeping her safe for long.

Tears prickled her eyes. She hated feeling like a scared, cornered child. She knew she was being watched, but not knowing who was doing the watching made her even more nervous.

"Pull yourself together," she scolded herself, wadding up the wrapper for her lunch and tossing it into a trash can as she walked back toward the Louvre. Crying wasn't going to do her any good right now, she would simply have to keep thinking.

As she walked back across the marble floor, Madeline noticed a piece of paper on the ground. Stooping down, she picked it up and examined it. It was a design for a dress, a flowing emerald green dress she had seen at the benefit dinner where she met Gabriel. Frowning, she glanced down the corridor where he had disappeared. Was this his?

Taking the steps that led down into the Egyptian wing, she moved through the rows of artifacts until she came across Gabriel who studied a nearby tapestry intently.

"Hi," Madeline smiled, making him jump and nearly topple into the display. She tried to suppress her giggle, but couldn't quite manage it. There was something about him that was just so endearingly cute. She held up the sketch, raising her brows questioningly.

"Is this yours? I found it where we collided earlier."

Gabriel's ears turned scarlet and he nodded sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Th-thanks."

"No problem," Madeline smiled. "It's really good, you know. I'd like to see more sometime. You have quite a talent."

A genuine smile spread across Gabriel's mouth and he nodded. "S-sure. I'd like that."

Madeline pulled a pen out of her purse and took the sketch back from Gabriel, scribbling down her number for him on the back. She wasn't sure why she was doing this, only that she found herself inexplicably intrigued by him.

"There's my name and number," she said, handing him back the sketch with a little toss of her hair. "Call me sometime, okay?"

Gabriel looked a little stunned, but agreed as she left, a small smile playing over her mouth. She didn't know if he would call or not, but giving him her number had felt right somehow.

"Good thinking, Madeline," Duusu whispered as she sat down at her desk once again. "You can find out what he knows about Miraculous holders if you go on a date with him."

Madeline stared at her kwami. Truthfully, she hadn't been thinking about strategy at all. All she had been thinking about was how nice Gabriel's smile was and how different he was from the other men she had dated.

"Oh no," she muttered, scolding herself for letting her guard down, especially now. She'd have to be more careful.

The shadows stretched long as Madeline left work that night to catch the metro back to her apartment. She had stayed longer than she meant to today, but she found herself wandering back to the tapestry in the Egyptian wing more than once, trying to figure out what had interested Gabriel. As a result, she hadn't finished cataloging pottery from a recent dig in Greece until much later than usual.

Yawning, she stretched her arms over her head, twisting so that her back popped. The only thing she hated about this job was sitting all day long. But a night of crime fighting would loosen her up nicely. Besides, she could use the distraction from her problems. Particularly a handsome blonde one.

As she passed the police station, she noticed a crowd that had gathered and stopped to take a look. To her surprise, she saw Gabriel standing in front of a horde of cameras with the police chief, being presented with a medal.

"On behalf of a grateful city, we would like to honor Mr. Agreste for his heroic actions in saving so many lives from the orphanage fire."

Applause rang out as Gabriel shyly accepted the medal, shaking the police chief's hand and then the mayor's. The police chief stepped to the side so that Gabriel could approach the microphone which he did reluctantly.

"I-I don't know what to say except that I'm e-extremely humbled by this award," Gabriel spoke nervously into the microphone. "But I wouldn't be alive today to receive this award if it wasn't for Night Wing. She saved my life."

"Are you saying that this mysterious vigilante is real?" a reporter demanded from the front row, shoving a microphone closer to Gabriel.

"Yes," Gabriel nodded to confirm his answer. "I owe her my life."

Madeline's jaw dropped as a rumble of questions rose up from the reporters. Had he really just confirmed her existence to a bunch of reporters?! Now everyone would be keeping an eye out for her and her status as an urban legend would be in jeopardy. Grinding her teeth together, Madeline reminded herself that Gabriel didn't know what he had just done. But still…

At that moment, however, there wasn't time to think about it anymore. Madeline caught sight of a man with bright amber eyes standing across from her. While the crowd watched the presentation, the man watched her. The hairs on the back of Madeline's neck stood up straight and she knew she was looking at La Panthère. But who was he?

Backing away slowly, she darted down the steps to the metro. But instead of catching the train that would take her home, she darted down onto the tracks and into a maintenance tunnel on the other side. Madeline leaned against the slimy wall and took a deep, steadying breath of stale air. Now what? Her options were limited and she didn't want to give the man any opportunities to follow her. There was nowhere to go but forward.

The passageway twisted and wound around until at last she found a ladder leading up to a manhole cover. Sliding it gently aside, she found herself emerging on a street across from the Eiffel Tower. At least the man who had been watching her was nowhere in sight.

"Looks like we're taking the long way home, Duusu," she murmured, letting out a string of mental curses. She had to find La Panthère before he got to her first. She had to survive.


	7. Chapter 7

Gabriel spent most of his time over the next several days thinking either about the Miraculouses or about Madeline. He still couldn't believe she gave him her number. Why would someone as beautiful as her give her number to a guy like him? He was as geeky as could be. Plus, he stuttered and wore glasses.

He frowned as a thought crossed his mind. It was entirely possible that she was after the money behind the Agreste name. After all, she wouldn't be the first.

But then he thought about her smile and her emerald eyes and her adorable freckles and he melted into a puddle all over again. Somehow, he didn't care what she was after. If she wanted his money, she could have it. Just as long as he could spend some more time with her.

After having taken dozens of pictures of the artifacts and tapestries in the Egyptian exhibit at the Louvre, Gabriel knew he'd found something important. He had studied enough Egyptian to make sense of what was written on the tapestries, but even on the tablet at the Louvre, much of it was missing. Fortunately, it all landed him in one place—Egypt. Or more specifically, Giza. If he traveled to Giza, he just might be able to find out more about this ancient power. Either that, or track down Night Wing and ask her. However, he didn't even know how to _start_ tracking her down.

So he planned on taking the private jet to Giza and he planned to leave in just a few days. He didn't know how long he'd be gone…

Gabriel frowned at the thought. If he didn't call Madeline soon, he might never get the chance again. Who knew? The expedition through Giza could take weeks or even months! She'd forget about him by then, wouldn't she?

Nervousness crept into his heart as he stared at his phone. Somehow, he couldn't see himself getting through even a sentence without turning into a stuttering mess.

"Screw it," he muttered to himself as he picked up the phone and began to dial the number he knew by heart by now, seeing that he had contemplated calling her a thousand times already. But as soon as the phone began ringing, he froze. It suddenly felt as if he got dumped into the Atlantic Ocean and he couldn't move because his body became paralyzed with the icy chill. He couldn't talk to her! He'd big time bomb it.

"Hello?" Madeline asked on the other end, and suddenly that icy chill turned into a blazing inferno just from hearing her voice.

"M-Madeline?" he asked, but then he took a deep breath and forced the calm to enter him. It was just a date. Nothing more. "Hi, this is Gabriel. From the museum."

"Hi, Gabe! How are you?"

Gabriel's tongue tied in a knot at her nickname for him, and he hadn't realized he became quiet until Madeline asked if he was still there.

"Um, yes! I'm still here. Um, I was wondering if you, er, wanted to go to dinner with me tonight. At, um, Le Cinq."

Even through the phone, Gabriel could hear Madeline suck in a breath. Did he say the wrong thing?

"Le Cinq?" she asked incredulously. "Isn't that a five-star restaurant?"

He immediately grimaced at her tone. If it had been Samantha, she would have accepted nothing less than a five-star restaurant. "Sorry, um… We can go somewhere different."

"La Coïncidence maybe? Pick me up at six. I'll text you my address. Don't be late!"

She hung up the phone, leaving him completely speechless as he stared at the wall. He felt like he just got hit by a hurricane and he didn't even know how to recover. Not only did she _not_ take advantage of his money, but she completely took the reins away from him. Was this still his date or was this her date now?

Gabriel almost cursed under his breath as he glanced down at his watch. He had to be at her place in a half an hour to pick her up, and not only was he not ready to go, but he also had to pick up flowers for her. What kind of guy would he be if he didn't bring her flowers on the first date?

In a hurry, he dressed in slacks and a button-up shirt, and he almost decided against the tie, but tradition won over and he put one on anyway.

Unfortunately, his jaw practically dropped as he raced down the staircase and ran into a room full of people, namely his parents, Samantha, and Samantha's parents. Oh great. What was going on this time?

"Good, you're here!" Samantha cried, throwing her arms around Gabriel's neck. He couldn't stop the scowl from forming on his face. "So we're going ahead and planning a few things for the wedding. The first and most important on the list is how and when you're going to propose. I want it to be perfect—tabloid-ready. I was thinking about having it be somewhere public, probably during sunset to capture the best lighting. Oh, we could even do it at the beach! How romantic would that be?"

Gabriel's scowl deepened. "You're kidding me, right? You're planning out a _proposal_? Isn't that supposed to be the guy's job?"

Samantha laughed, shaking her head so her hair fell perfectly over her shoulders. "Oh, you know very little about weddings, don't you? That's why I'm here, pumpkin." She patted his face, and somehow, that only made him scowl even more.

It was time to say the thing _again_ that he's been saying for years.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not ever going to propose to you. I'm sure there are a lot of other men out there who would love to go along with your shenanigans, but not me."

Bridget gasped. "Gabriel! We talked about this."

"Yes, we did. And you obviously didn't listen. André Dubois would _love_ to marry you, Samantha. He has plenty of money too. And he's actually in love with you. Why don't you give that a try?"

He surprised himself by not stuttering once, but he didn't usually when he felt either frustrated or annoyed. Thankfully, no one said a word as he left the room and climbed into a car, this time driving himself. Somehow, he had a feeling that it wouldn't impress Madeline if he brought a chauffeur. She just didn't seem like the type.

After buying a bouquet of assorted flowers, Gabriel took a deep breath as he pulled up to the address that Madeline had given him. Sure, he may have been on plenty of dates, but somehow this felt different. Just the thought of her made his heart do things he didn't know it could.

Oh man, he was totally going to bomb tonight.

Gabriel knocked nervously on the door, but his nervousness only seemed to skyrocket when Madeline answered. She wore her hair to the side and she looked extremely pretty, but that wasn't what got his attention the most, surprisingly. She wore an elegant, blue lace dress with hints of silver that dripped off her shoulders, the lace hitting her knees in a very ladylike fashion. From Madeline's makeup all the way down to her shoes, she matched perfectly. Her sense of fashion was incredible.

"Natasha Benazzoli," Gabriel grinned.

"I beg your pardon?"

He chuckled and gestured to her dress. "I don't see many people wearing Natasha Benazzoli these days. She's a very under appreciated designer, but I think her designs are masterpieces." His shyness got the better of him as he looked up to meet her eye. "It—it looks good on you."

To his surprise, Madeline laughed and threaded her arm through his. "I didn't peg you as a fashion geek. Science, maybe. But not fashion."

Heat crept up his neck. If only she knew the truth.

"I hope you're hungry," Madeline said without missing a beat. "Because I'm starving."

Gabriel nodded as he opened the door for her and when he closed it behind him, he took another deep breath to steady himself. He really didn't need to overthink this. They'd both have fun and he didn't need to fall to pieces.

"What's one of your life goals?" Madeline asked as they drove to the restaurant, taking him completely by surprise.

"M-my life goals?" he asked, scratching the side of his head. "I suppose making a difference would be one of them. I think it might be a little easier without my parents breathing down my neck." He laughed at his own joke.

"You don't get along with your parents?"

He shrugged. "More like we have nothing in common. They expect me to live a certain way and I have to obey."

Madeline shifted in her seat to get a better view of him. "And what would you do if you had the freedom you want?"

That was a very good question, and almost immediately, his thoughts turned to his sketchbooks. But he couldn't let Madeline in on that little secret of his. After all, he wasn't sure he could trust her yet.

"I just want to leave a dent in this world, instead of just being another person who existed."

She nodded thoughtfully, and it wasn't until when they arrived at the restaurant and ordered did he get the chance to speak to her again. "What about you?" he asked. "What are your goals?"

"If I had the money?" she laughed while rolling her eyes. "I'd travel the world. I'd finish school. I'd get a job that I would be good at and love."

Gabriel bit his lip sheepishly, now realizing just how different they were in that moment. He had all the money in the world to do whatever he wanted, and then here was Madeline trying to make a life and perhaps even a name for herself. Coming from money always made him feel a little bit guilty.

Even so, the two of them were able to talk and Gabriel felt his guard lowering ever so slightly around her. At least until the table next to them spoke a little bit too loudly.

"I think La Panthère is a hero," the man said, his words slurred slightly from drinking too much wine. "The justice system nowadays is so corrupt that we need more people like him to take matters into their own hands."

Madeline's chair scraped loudly on the floor as she stood up, anger filling every inch of her face as she stared back at the man who had spoken out. "What did you just say?"

The man also stood and towered over Madeline, glowering down at her menacingly. "I said that La Panthère is a hero."

"Whoa there," Gabriel said as he cautiously got to his feet, holding out a steady hand in case he had to jump in between the man and Madeline. "We're not looking for any trouble."

Madeline looked as if she were about to sit back down, but then the man spoke once again. "That's right. Run home to your boyfriend just like a good little girl. Leave the big boy talk to the big boys—"

Madeline knitted her eyebrows together and scowled, and Gabriel could hardly even believe it as she spun around as fast as lightning and threw a punch right at the man's face. The man fell backward and knocked a table down, the plates and silverware clattering to the floor in a giant heap. All Gabriel could do was stare with wide eyes at Madeline's flexed fist and the man she had just single-handedly knocked out with an expert punch. His mouth fell open in disbelief.

The owner of the establishment shuffled out to the front and his eyes widened as he stared back at Gabriel. For a moment, Gabriel thought he was about to get in big trouble, but then it was as if the owner flopped over on his back in submission.

"I'm so sorry if this man was bothering you and your date, Mr. Agreste," the owner said, apologizing as he dabbed a napkin to Gabriel's shirt as if to try and take the food stain out. "My sincerest apologies. I'll give you two a free meal, and free meals every time should you decide to come back. Please forgive me for the disturbance."

At long last, Gabriel's mind finally managed to comprehend what had just happened and before he could stop himself, a full-blown, hearty laugh escaped his mouth. Madeline just knocked a full grown man out with her tiny fist!

Madeline snorted with laughter and joined right in, and Gabriel knew that if they didn't leave soon, theirs would be the unwelcome disturbance.

"Sorry about the trouble," Gabriel laughed as he put down double of what their meals cost. After all, the poor servers had to clean that mess up.

The two of them continued laughing as they left the restaurant and finally had to stop a little ways down the street to catch their breath for laughing so hard.

"Where on earth did you learn to throw a punch like that?" Gabriel laughed, doubling over as a stitch entered his side.

She sighed with laughter and thankfully, she never put her beautiful smile away. Gabriel really liked that smile. It looked so adorable on her, especially when the skin on the corners of her eyes crinkled as she laughed.

"What else would you expect from a girl who grew up at an orphanage? I had to defend myself from those mean boys somehow."

Immediately, Gabriel's smile dropped and his eyes widened. "What? You were an orphan?"

Madeline glanced away at that moment as the atmosphere around them steadily grew heavier and heavier until it felt as if Gabriel couldn't support the weight on his shoulders. Never would he have guessed that this beautiful, funny, amazing woman in front of him had grown up all on her own.

"Yeah," Madeline finally said, breaking the silence as she shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "My parents died in a bank robbery when I was nine. I've been all on my own ever since."

Gabriel swallowed hard at the thought. It was no wonder why she got so defensive when La Panthère was mentioned at the restaurant. Bank robberies touched her in a way that it couldn't touch anyone else. Gabriel couldn't even fathom…

"I-I-I'm so sorry," he whispered huskily. "I had no idea…"

Madeline shrugged and gave him a sad smile. "It was a long time ago and although I certainly miss them, you don't need to feel bad for me."

"I don't," Gabriel said with a shake of his head, taking Madeline completely by surprise. "I'm sad for you. No child should have to grow up on their own."

This made Madeline smile and she weaved her arm through his once more. However, he wasn't prepared for the gentle kiss she placed on his cheek, making him freeze right where he stood as if his shoes were nailed to the concrete.

"Are you coming or what?" Madeline laughed knowingly as she walked backward away from him and cast him a coy grin. "I thought we could go on a walk, since our dinner date was cut a little short."

He nodded and adjusted his glasses as heat crept into his ears. "Right. Of course."

Gabriel quickly followed after her and the two of them walked side by side through the park. Honestly, he really couldn't help but feel impressed that she could walk so effortlessly in those heels she wore. Plus, they made her legs look fantastic.

They only stopped walking as they sat beside one another on a bench that overlooked a small, peaceful fountain in the middle of the park. Gabriel had come here countless times, especially when he wanted to get away from the pressure of being Gabriel Agreste once in a while.

"That's a very special bag, isn't it?" Madeline asked, nodding toward the messenger bag that he kept close beside him at all times. "You always seem to have it with you. What's in there?"

"Nothing," he replied cautiously, subconsciously digging his shoe into the dirt.

"Do you keep your drawings in there? Like I said before, I'd really like to see more of them." When he still hesitated, she leaned in just a little closer and smiled. "Come on, Gabey. Pretty please show me your incredible artwork?"

Finally, Gabriel sighed. "You're going to laugh at me."

"No, I won't. I promise."

"Fine," he relented as he took out his sketchbook and handed it over to Madeline. When she opened it, her eyes widened as she took in the dresses and hats and jewelry that he had designed. He watched as she flipped through page after page, studying each design carefully.

Madeline's mouth dropped more and more until she finally glanced up at him. "Either you're Gawain Papillion, or you're a very good copycat."

Heat filled Gabriel's face and he had to look away, instead intently studying the wood of the bench he sat on. "I didn't realize that you'd be able to guess. I'd much rather keep it a secret for now."

She laughed gleefully, her laughter seeming to fill the entire park. "I can't believe that you're the elusive Gawain Papillion! They write about you in magazines, you know. Everyone is gushing over all your designs. No one would ever guess that you're actually Gabriel Agreste! Oh, this is amazing. The media would have a freak out if they found out the truth."

"D-d-don't tell anyone! If people found out, I'd never get to design again."

"Oh, I won't tell anyone. I'm a good secret keeper. But, Mr. Agreste, you keep getting more interesting by the minute."

While Madeline continued to flip through his designs, he still tried to recover from the surprise of her finding out who he was. So easily too. The question was how? Did his sketchbook really give him away?

A sharp intake of breath from Madeline brought him back to the present, but he only bit his lip when he saw her staring at the design that had been inspired by Night Wing herself.

"So this was what was so important…"

"W-what?"

"This design…" she said, holding up the sketchbook for him to see better. "You did this?"

Gabriel nodded his head, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "When inspiration hits, I have to strike while the iron is hot. I know people think she's just a myth, an urban legend. But I saw her with my own eyes. She told me that she calls herself Night Wing and she saved my life." He smiled down at his sketch as he remembered her vividly. "This is her dress—just like a phoenix being reborn from a fire."

Madeline ran her fingers lightly over the sketch, murmuring, "This is beautiful, Gabe."

He chuckled nervously, scratching the side of his head. "Thanks." However, as he gazed back into Madeline's eyes, the craziest idea in the world came to him. After all, Madeline was someone he just barely met.

"C-C-Can I ask you something?" he stuttered, but he didn't care. He was going to take a risk and ask, especially knowing that one of her life goals was to see the world.

"Sure."

Gabriel took a deep breath and plunged in. "D-d-do you want to come with me to Giza?"


	8. Chapter 8

Madeline stared at Gabriel for several long seconds, completely stunned. Had he really just said what she thought he had?

"Uh… What?"

Gabriel flushed, looking more flustered than ever. "I-I mean, I'm t-taking a trip to Giza to do some research and I was wondering if you wanted to come?"

She continued to stare, her mind trying and failing to process his words. It was their first date, how could he ask her something like that?

"No!" she blurted and then immediately regretted it when he hung his head, his face burning scarlet.

"Gabriel…" she began placatingly. She felt awful for hurting his feelings. Madeline liked what she knew of him, but it was too soon to ask her to do that. This was only their first date.

"I'm sorry," she continued. "But I have to work and—"

Gabriel held up a hand to cut her off. "It—it's okay. I got carried away. Just forget I said anything, okay?"

Madeline scuffed her shoe against the sidewalk. She felt awful. Gabriel was sweet, funny, smart, and definitely cute. But she still felt wary. Experience had taught her not to trust easily. People always hurt her or left her life when she least expected it.

"Come on," she said impulsively, grabbing Gabriel's hand. She didn't want the date to end this way. "I want to show you something."

Gabriel chuckled, following willingly behind her as she led him down a side street.

"So, where are we going?" he finally asked, his gray eyes curious and interested behind his glasses.

"Well, do you like music?" Madeline asked, taking a right turn. Gabriel held onto her hand tighter, trying to keep up with her, but she didn't mind. In fact, she really enjoyed it.

"I guess."

"You guess? What's your favorite band?" Madeline asked, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to stare at Gabriel. When he shrugged, she just laughed.

"Oh my gosh!"

Gabriel shrugged. "Geeze, I ask you to go to Giza on our first date, we made a scene at the restaurant, and I don't listen to music. This must be your worst date ever, right?"

"I've had worse," Madeline smiled. "Much, much worse, actually."

A genuinely surprised smile flickered across Gabriel's face and he chuckled. "So have I. I'd have to say my senior year was the worst."

"Senior year?" Madeline giggled. "Oh, you have to go back that far?"

They laughed and talked as Madeline led Gabriel to one of her favorite clubs. It was more or less a hole-in-the-wall with signatures and graffiti all over the exposed brick. But the best part of this place was the bands that performed. Some of Paris's best bands had gotten their starts in this very spot.

Madeline found them a table and Gabriel pulled out her chair for her. She was touched by the simple gesture, her heart thawing ever so slightly. Gabriel really was sweet.

"Do you trust me to order your drink for you?" she grinned mischievously. Gabriel eyed her warily, but she thought she caught a hint of humor in his gaze as he analyzed her.

"I guess so," he finally agreed, leaning back in his chair. Madeline's smile widened as she ordered two of the house specialties. A waitress appeared a few moments later, carrying two drinks balanced on a tray.

"What is it?" Gabriel asked, examining his drink. It was orange on top and pink on the bottom with a little slice of pineapple on the edge of the glass.

"They call them Charlie Bangers," Madeline giggled. "He was the guy who started this place and this was his favorite drink. It's orange juice, pink lemonade flavored vodka, and pineapple juice."

Gabriel smiled, raising his glass to her. Madeline responded by clinking her glass to his and taking a swig. She watched Gabriel's expression closely and to her relief, he smiled.

"That's pretty good," he said, setting his glass down. "How did you find out about this place?"

Madeline shrugged. "I knew someone who played here a couple years ago. Have you ever heard of Jagged Stone?"

"No…" Gabriel said cautiously, glancing around carefully. "Umm...should I know who he is?"

Madeline laughed lightly, trying to tuck back a smile. "He just put out his very first single, it made it to the top of the charts in less than twenty-four hours. Everyone is crazy about him, they call it "Stone Fever." I met him before he was famous."

Gabriel looked even more impressed as Madeline gave him a mysterious smile and a wink. She had met Jagged Stone while working her first job at a pet store. He had come in asking about owning a crocodile.

"You are intriguing me more and more every minute, Madeline," Gabriel chuckled, taking another swig of his drink. "These drinks are really, really good!"

Nodding, Madeline took another sip. "These are what I always dreamed the Caribbean would taste like. Sunshine and tropical breezes."

"So, where have you been?" Gabriel asked thoughtfully, glancing at her over the rim of his glass.

"Nowhere outside France," Madeline shrugged. "But I do have this."

She pulled her passport out of her purse and showed him.

"Your passport?" Gabriel smiled. Madeline laughed and nodded.

"Yes, l do!"

"With you?" Gabriel questioned, raising his eyebrows with a twinkle of humor in his gaze.

"Yes," Madeline deadpanned. "You know, just in case l need to quickly leave the country."

"That's perfect," Gabriel chuckled, stirring the ice around in his drink. "That's great."

They listened to the band as they finished another song and started up another.

"They're good," Gabriel commented, nodding toward the stage. "This is a lot different than anything I've ever done before."

"Good!" Madeline smiled. It felt nice introducing him to her world. "Do you want to dance?"

Gabriel looked sheepishly at her, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. "I-I'm not really a dancer."

"Come on, it'll be fun," Madeline coaxed, holding out her hand. "Trust me."

Nodding, Gabriel smiled and took her hand, letting her pull him onto the floor. This song was slower than most of the band's other songs, allowing them to just sway gently to the beat.

"You know, my instinct is that you should have your own business," Madeline smiled as they moved across the floor.

"That's your instinct?" Gabriel chuckled, twirling her under his arm. Madeline smiled. He had more dancing skills than he would admit to.

"Yes," she replied. "I mean your designs are already world famous. They're amazing and you shouldn't have to hide that part of yourself."

Gabriel's expression looked genuinely touched by her words. He was adorable in that moment, so adorable that she had to resist the urge to kiss him.

"Maybe someday," he smiled, spinning her around again. "But for now, I'm just happy dancing with the most beautiful girl I've ever met."

Madeline's cheeks pinked at his compliment and she stepped a little closer to him so that they were pressed together. Gabriel responded by tightening his arms around her, causing her smile to widen.

"I'm feeling pretty lucky too," she smiled, wishing that this moment never had to end.


	9. Chapter 9

If Gabriel had thought he liked Madeline before, that was nothing compared to the way he felt for her now. Not only was she the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, but she was funny and spontaneous and definitely turned his perfectly planned out world upside down.

He frowned as he thought of how he blurted out asking her to come with him to Giza. It wasn't as if they were together or anything. All he had been thinking about was aiding her in her wanderlust to travel the world. But not everyone could leave their life behind for a little while and travel all the way across the world because they wanted to. Of course Madeline would have said no to his invitation. They hadn't even known each other that long.

As he studied the artifacts he found in the secret library, he puzzled over the strange lock that kept him from getting into the case that housed the purple-orbed scepter. The keyhole looked as if it were in the shape of either a four-petal flower or a butterfly. What kind of key could possibly open this? He turned this room inside out and found nothing that would give him even the slightest clue.

His eyes lit up as an idea came to him. Perhaps if he studied the tablet even more at the Louvre, he might get more of an understanding of what this scepter might be. Somehow, he felt as if all of this connected. He just didn't know how yet.

Grabbing his research materials and stuffing them inside his bag, Gabriel hurried out of the manor before his father could stop him, and made his way to the Louvre. Thankfully, it looked to be a slow night, making it easier not to be disturbed.

Gabriel chewed on the pen cap as he took a seat on the ground with all his research materials spread out around him while he gazed up at the shiny golden tablet before him. Some of these symbols just didn't make sense…

Again and again, he tapped his pen repeatedly on the ground as he tried to connect the dots. In one image on the tablet, he saw a man with what he could only describe as wings, holding a scepter in his hands. But what did the scepter and wings have in common? And what did a woman wearing polkadots, a man with cat ears, and a woman wearing feathers have to do with it? How was this all connected?

"I see that you're back again," a voice said behind him, making him jump out of his skin.

Gabriel felt as if he nearly had a heart attack as he spun around to see Madeline with a smug expression on her face.

"Are you following me?" Gabriel chuckled, hiding some of his research underneath his notebook so she wouldn't be able to see it. "It can't be a coincidence that we ran into each other twice at the Louvre."

Madeline's eyebrows rose as she tapped the nameplate beside her collarbone. "I work here, angel face. But I'll let that one slide just because you're cute."

Oh, man. Gabriel felt so embarrassed. How had he not realized that she worked at the Louvre? She had a _nametag_ on her _uniform_ and everything!

"S-s-sorry," he muttered, but then put his face in his hand as he became even more embarrassed that he stuttered. What he wouldn't give to not look like a complete idiot in front of the woman he adored.

Surprisingly, Madeline didn't say anything about his fluster, but instead changed the subject. "What's so special about this exhibit? Does it have something to do with Giza?"

He most certainly couldn't tell her the truth—that he believed some sort of ancient power existed and it centered around the Giza pyramids. It sounded crazy, especially when many people believed Night Wing to be an urban legend herself. Madeline would probably think he was a lunatic if he told her why he wanted to go to Giza.

So Gabriel shrugged and stared down at one of his documents, willing his fluster to disappear. "I'm fascinated with the culture. There seems to be a lot that remains a mystery that revolves around the ancient Egyptians. That's why I want to go to Giza—to learn more. Plus, it's a nice time to get away. Come Saturday and—"

"Wait, you're leaving Saturday? This Saturday?"

Gabriel glanced up to see her surprised reaction and even a slight pout on her lips, almost as if she were about to cry. But it could possibly have just been the lighting.

"Yeah, this Saturday."

Madeline's attention turned to the collar of her shirt that she repeatedly ran through her fingers, not once looking up at him as she spoke. "How—how long are you going to be gone?"

He shrugged, taking off his glasses for a moment to clean them on his shirt. "A couple weeks, maybe more. However long it takes, really. But don't worry. I'll accidentally run into you here again when I get back."

Although he chuckled at his joke, Madeline said nothing. Did something he said upset her? Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned Giza again. Really, it was a stupid idea to ask her to go with him in the first place.

When Madeline still didn't answer, he glanced up again to see her biting her lip hesitantly. Oh, man. She looked so adorably cute.

"I'm on break right now. Do you want to go grab a coffee with me?"

Gabriel's eyebrows shot through the roof. She wanted to grab coffee with him? He suddenly felt like the luckiest man alive.

"Y-yeah, of course!"

Very quickly he shoved his things into his bag and when he stood up, it toppled out of his arms and spilled its contents everywhere. The only thing he managed to keep ahold of was the box wrapped in blue and green ribbon—a gift to someone he admired. Madeline looked at him inquisitively but otherwise said nothing.

The coffee shop was just around the corner from the Louvre and after each of them ordered, they sat across from each other at a table beside the window. Gabriel didn't know if it was the coffee or the fact that he was with Madeline that made his temperature suddenly rise.

"So besides spending your free time doing research at the Louvre, what else do you like to do, Gabe?"

He smiled down at the table. "I love astronomy. I think one of my favorite things to do is sit outside on my balcony at night with a package of Oreos, watching the sky change while hunting down the constellations. The stars are beautiful."

Madeline also smiled. "You'll have to show me sometime. I don't know that much about the stars but it sounds like something I'd love to learn."

Gabriel's ears heated up as he gazed back at her across the table. She was actually interested? He could count on just one hand of how many women he'd met that actually cared about the mysteries of the sky. He was speechless.

"What is your favorite flavor of Oreos?" she asked, breaking him out of his amazement.

"D-definitely mint."

"It's a toss-up for me. You can never go wrong with the original, but there's nothing like mint." She sighed. "That sounds so amazing."

As the minutes passed by, Gabriel became more comfortable around her and they laughed and talked. He told her more about the stars and she told him more about art—a hobby that he didn't know she absolutely loved until he saw the animated, excited expression in her eyes. Just seeing that passion inside of her melted him into a puddle.

"Oh, crap. I've got to get back to work!" Madeline cried as she stood up in a hurry and grabbed her empty coffee cup. "I'll see you around, Gabe!"

She waved goodbye and he couldn't help but stare after her, a soft smile spreading across his face. If she'd let him, Gabriel wanted to learn everything about her.

He also stood up to leave but stopped in his tracks when a car sped through the intersection and smashed through a nearby bank. Gabriel could only watch in shock as men clad in black jumped out of the vehicle and entered the vault they had just smashed through, clearing it out faster than he could even comprehend.

Gabriel started running toward the scene when he saw one of the men in black grab one of the bank tellers and put a gun to the man's head. Although he didn't know what he could do, he couldn't just stand around and let this happen!

However, before he could even take another step, a woman in blue flew by in a flash and landed gracefully on her feet. Gabriel's eyes widened as he recognized Night Wing and couldn't help but watch in admiration as she took out thief after thief, knocking some out and tying others up. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, she had all five of them tied up and she even escorted the bank teller to safety, all before the cops even showed up.

Saying that Gabriel was gawking was the understatement of the year. He couldn't believe his eyes. Night Wing so easily took out the bad guys, almost as if it hadn't taken her much effort at all. How…?

Gabriel literally blinked once and Night Wing already disappeared. He glanced all around him in confusion. Had she even been there at all?

Blindingly fast, a figure clad in blue with a blue mask swung down from the tree right beside him, now hanging upside down so their eyes were level. He hadn't noticed before… But her eyes were green. A beautiful shade of green.

"We've got to stop meeting like this, sweet cakes," Night Wing said with a smug grin. "Hope you enjoyed the show."

"That was incredible!" Gabriel breathed, afraid to take his eyes off her for a moment in case she should suddenly disappear again. "How do you... How do you even do that?"

The corner of Night Wing's lips turned up into a smile. "A woman never spills her secrets, especially not in the presence of handsome strangers."

The backs of his ears turned red at her compliment, and it wasn't until when she laughed did he realize that she only said that to get a reaction out of him. Why was he always so transparent? It was as if he wore both his heart and his thoughts on his sleeve for all to see.

"Stay safe, sweetheart," she smiled and she was just about to disappear again when Gabriel called out to her.

"Wait! I have something for you."

Night Wing swung herself down again so they were once again eye level but she was upside down.

"I've been holding onto it in case I should run into you again. It's kind of like a thank you gift… For saving my life the other day." Gabriel handed the box with the green and blue ribbon to her, but when she started to pull off the ribbon on the box, Gabriel shook his head insistently. "D-d-don't open it here. Not yet."

"Don't tell me you're a little shy about giving gifts, Mr. Agreste," Night Wing teased.

Gabriel scuffed the tip of his shoe in the ground. "I'd just rather you open it when I'm not here, is all."

The mysterious woman smiled and tucked the box under her arm. "Aye aye, cap'n. But now I feel as if I should give you a gift in return."

He waved the notion away with his hand and looked away shyly. "You can't give a thank you gift for a thank you gift. Besides, all I really hope is that you'll like it—"

Night Wing cut him off by grabbing him by the earlobes and pulling him into the most unexpected kiss. Gabriel flushed red from the tips of his toes to the tips of his fingers, heat filling every inch of his face. He didn't even get a chance to register what just happened as Night Wing pulled away and tipped him a wink.

"See you around, stranger." And then she leaped out of there with absolute grace. Gabriel stared after her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks, wondering what on earth had just happened.


	10. Chapter 10

What on earth had just happened?! One minute she had been teasing Gabriel and the next she had given in to the urge to kiss him! His lips were warm and inviting and she found herself craving more, even after she had left him standing there under the tree.

"What's wrong with me?" she scolded herself. "I shouldn't have done that."

It had been all too easy to give in to her desires when she could hide behind the mask. Night Wing had no reason not to flirt with Gabriel, but Madeline did. She feared letting anyone get too close. It felt like setting herself up for heartbreak.

Shaking her head, she flopped on the couch, covering her eyes with her arm. If she was honest with herself, she liked Gabriel. A lot. He had awakened a part of her she had thought she had long since buried. A part that craved connection. She wanted to know more about him, but she was afraid of getting hurt. And what about her alter ego? She had sworn to take the secret to her grave. It hadn't seemed to matter. Until now.

"Are you okay, Madeline?" Duusu asked, landing on her upturned palm.

Madeline shrugged. "I'll be alright. I've just never met anyone like Gabriel. There's something about him. He's sweet and funny and cute. But it's more than that..."

"You know you can't tell anyone your secret," Duusu cautioned, and Madeline sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I know that. Whatever this is can't go anywhere anyway," she sighed, blinking back frustrated tears. "We come from two different worlds."

As Madeline thought about the kiss again, she suddenly remembered the box Gabriel had given her. She sat up and stared at it, wondering what could have been so important that Gabriel had carried it everywhere with him.

Pulling on the end of the ribbon, she tied it at the end of her braid before lifting the lid off the box. A little gasp escaped her as she pulled an exquisite blue and green gown out and held it up to her chest. It was absolutely stunning and Gabriel had matched the colors of her costume perfectly, even adding in hints of gold to match her hair.

"Wow," she breathed, examining herself in the full-length mirror on the back of her door. Imagining herself in the dress made her feel beautiful and glamorous.

"This is incredible," she gasped, picturing herself making a stunning grand entrance at a ball. Giving an impulsive little twirl, she smiled as the skirt fanned out smoothly around her, just like a peacock tail. Gabriel had truly captured her essence.

"How do I thank him for this?" she asked her kwami. "This is an incredible gift."

Duusu perched on the edge of the coffee table and watched Madeline with a small smile. "Well, you can start with a thank you. That seems like a good place to start."

Madeline nodded in agreement. She would go find Gabriel and thank him. As Night Wing, of course.

It took longer than Madeline wanted to meet up with Gabriel, much to her annoyance. The next night, La Panthère struck again, robbing a family of their priceless jewels and killing the maid in the process. But even with the grisly murder—done with something that resembled claws, much to Madeline's disgust—he had left no trace.

Madeline waited for Gabriel on the Louvre roof the night after that when she got off work. Sure enough, he appeared like clockwork, crossing the plaza toward the museum entrance. Silently, she leaped off the roof, her feet hitting the ground softly just behind him.

"Hello, sweet cakes," she grinned as he jumped, spinning around to face her. He clutched his heart, raising his eyebrows. She loved getting a reaction out of him, he was easy to tease. But that only made her like him more.

"H-hi," he said, a smile spreading across his face as he relaxed. "Are all our meetings going to be this, er, surprising?"

Grinning, Madeline nodded, "Well, I _do_ have a reputation to maintain after all."

"So what's the occasion?" Gabriel bantered back. "Robbery? Mass attack of man eating rats?"

"Gross!" Madeline made a face, shaking her head. "No, this time I just wanted to say thank you for the dress. It's gorgeous, I love it."

Gabriel flushed scarlet to the roots of his blonde hair but looked pleased by her compliment all the same.

"Y-you're welcome," he managed. "I drew that the very first time we met."

Madeline laughed. "I know. I thought you were crazy for drawing right after being pulled from a fire."

"Well, what can I say?" Gabriel teased back. Madeline loved bantering with him. He was so funny when he overcame his shyness. "When inspiration strikes, you don't want to waste it."

Madeline tilted her head toward the front of the Louvre. "Is that why you come here all the time? Inspiration?"

"Partly," Gabriel flushed again, shuffling his feet. "But I'm also doing some research."

Raising her eyebrows, Madeline encouraged him to continue with a nod. Gabriel sighed and pulled a book out of his bag.

"I've been trying to piece together what's in here," he said, opening the book to a marked page. Madeline stared. The figure drawn on the heavy linen paper was another peacock Miraculous holder.

"Where did you get this?"

"I found it in a secret part of our library at home," Gabriel replied, lowering his voice. "I would have thought they were fairy tales except I had just met you."

Madeline swallowed hard. Gabriel was dangerously close to unraveling a lot of secrets he shouldn't know. Especially her own.

"Maybe we can talk about it sometime?" he asked tentatively. Madeline closed the book with a sharp snap and handed it back to him.

"No," she said with definite finality. Gabriel looked so disappointed that she immediately softened her tone. "Gabriel, Miraculous powers are a sacred secret. We don't talk about them in order to protect them from being abused by evil men."

"Okay."

Madeline gazed at him for a long moment before smiling mischievously. "You want to see where I go for inspiration?"

"I'm intrigued," Gabriel grinned as she snaked an arm around his waist.

"Hold on, cupcake," she replied with a wink. "This will feel weird."

Pushing off the ground, she heard Gabriel suck in a breath as they shot gracefully into the air. She glanced at him, half expecting that he would have his eyes shut, but he didn't. He gazed down at the city with awe in his eyes. Before she knew it, he let out a whoop of laughter. Madeline couldn't help it when she joined in, grinning from ear to ear.

"Wow!" Gabriel exclaimed, craning around to take in all the city lights. "This is incredible!"

Madeline chuckled as he had to quickly catch his glasses before they slipped off his face.

"Just wait. It gets better."

She flew over the Seine and up to the top of one of the bell towers at Notre Dame. Below, the rose window glowed softly in the darkness. It was so peaceful up here, so serene.

"I'd love to paint this view sometime," she laughed, gesturing at the twinkling city lights as Gabriel let out a soft exclamation at the sight. "I like to come here and think sometimes."

Gabriel nodded, leaning against one of the stone pillars. "I can see why. It's beautiful."

"Plus, I can see nearly every point in the city from here," Madeline replied, touching her fans thoughtfully. "That helps with the crime fighting."

They sat in companionable silence for several long moments, enjoying the cool night air. Madeline sighed, she loved spending time with Gabriel. Their friendship was so effortless and sweet, even when he thought he was talking to Night Wing.

"Can I ask you something?" Gabriel asked after a few moments.

Madeline nodded. "Sure."

"Why did you kiss me?" Gabriel asked hesitantly, staring at his hands so she wouldn't see the heat creeping into his cheeks.

"I wanted to," she smiled, with a little laugh. "I guess I keep surprising you, huh?"

Gabriel nodded a wry smile playing across his lips. "Yeah, but in a good way."

Madeline tucked back a smile, gazing down at the bridge just across from them. Her heart leaped into her throat as she saw the man with the black ponytail and amber eyes, leaning against the railing, staring up at them.

"I should get you back to the Louvre," Madeline said hastily, putting her arm around him once again. Gabriel nodded as Madeline took off, gliding back to the plaza where they had met. She set Gabriel down on the pavement, taking in his windswept hair and wide smile. He looked so handsome, she was tempted to kiss him again, but refrained.

"Thanks for showing me your spot," Gabriel said, trying to flatten his hair but Madeline stopped him.

"Don't. I like it this way," she smiled, leaning in and giving him a peck on the cheek. "See you later, Gabe."

With that, she took to the sky once again, her heart racing. Gabriel seemed to have that effect on her. But there was another reason that her heart hammered in her chest. La Panthère seemed to know everything about her. But how?

Transforming in mid-air, she landed gracefully on her balcony and darted inside. What did La Panthère want? So far, he seemed content just to scare her, but deep down she knew there was more to it than that.

She caught a glimpse of Gabriel's dress in the box on her coffee table. Seeing it comforted her somehow. She felt safe with him, she realized. Somehow, he had bridged her defenses and was already in the process of stealing her heart.

Before she could give herself time to overanalyze her decision, she ran into the bedroom and pulled out her battered backpack. It was the biggest thing she had that could carry enough essentials for a trip.

"What are you doing?" Duusu asked as Madeline continued to shove clothes into the bag. She didn't look up for fear of seeing disapproval in her kwami's eyes. She knew she was being impulsive, but she didn't care. She wanted to be with Gabriel and get away from here until she could figure out what La Panthère wanted from her.

"Something stupid."


	11. Chapter 11

Gabriel let out a sigh as he gazed out the window of the airport, seeing the private jet waiting for him on the tarmac. He could have left already, but something held him back. Maybe it was because he felt uncomfortable with the idea of not seeing Madeline for a while. Or perhaps it had to do with the fact that he felt as if he started to become a part of something, somehow, where Night Wing was involved. It was obvious that she knew more about the Miraculouses than she wanted to talk about. If only he could get her to open up…

"Mr. Agreste," a voice said, breaking him out of his reverie. Gabriel looked up to see the pilot shifting from foot to foot as if from impatience. "Are you ready yet? The jet is waiting."

He nodded and finally got to his feet. The pilot took one of Gabriel's bags while Gabriel took the other—he didn't trust anybody with it except himself. After all, he packed that staff that was locked inside the display case just in case he'd need it for later. Though, he didn't know what for. The staff seemed like it needed to accompany him rather than collect dust inside the secret library.

A gust of wind hit him hard as he followed the pilot outside, taking him completely by surprise. What a windy night! It felt as if the wind could pick him up and blow him away!

Gabriel held tight onto his hat as another gust of wind hit him. If he wasn't mistaken, there was a storm coming. Thankfully, the pilot didn't seem at all concerned with that fact and instead helped Gabriel with his suitcase. However, when Gabriel turned to pick up the second suitcase, he took his hand off his hat for a moment and that's when the wind picked up. In a swift motion, his hat flew off his head and he quickly made a grab for it, but it dodged just out of reach.

The wind picked up again and Gabriel chased after the hat, but he froze right in his tracks as a graceful figure leaned down to pick it up for him. Did his eyes deceive him. Was that…?

"Madeline," Gabriel breathed, holding stock still in surprise.

She gave him an easy smile as she approached him and slipped the hat on her own head, stealing it from him completely. It was adorable how the hat was slightly too big and fell over her eyes. "Leaving without me, Gabe? I hope you still have room for one more in that jet."

He shook himself out of his daze as another gust of wind hit them both, and only then did he realize he was being completely rude. "Y-y-yes! O-of course! I'm so glad you decided to come!"

"Good, because I'm really looking forward to this trip."

Gabriel's face broke into a stupid smile as he tried to push down the excitement that bubbled in his chest. Not to mention the way his heart did a thousand backflips...

With a gentle hand to her back, Gabriel led Madeline up the flight of stairs that ascended into the aircraft. He could still hardly believe that this was happening. Madeline decided to come with him! To Giza! Was he dreaming?

Gabriel shook the drizzle of rain from his hair when they entered the jet, but he felt far too excited to even function. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say?!

"What made you change your mind?" Gabriel asked a little too enthusiastically.

"Oh, you know me. Ever the spontaneous one. I just thought now would be a good time to get awa—" She stopped mid-sentence as she gawked at her surroundings. Gabriel had even taken the least fancy jet they owned… But even then, he could see why she'd gawk. In just the main room alone, a couch lined one side of the wall accompanied by a television and stereo system. And on the other side was a dining area with four chairs. That didn't even do justice justice to the lavish kitchen stocked full to the brim with food and snacks or the fully stocked bar.

"Is this too much?" Gabriel cringed. All he wanted was for her to be happy and comfortable.

Madeline continued to gawk. "Are you kidding me?! I've only ever dreamed of being on a private jet. I just had no idea that they looked like _this_. I could die happy sleeping on this couch."

When she kicked off her shoes and sat down on the couch, Gabriel chuckled and shook his head. "Oh, you're not sleeping here, little missy." He took her hand and helped her to her feet. "You have your own room, you know."

Now Madeline's jaw practically hit the floor as he continued to lead her by the hand down the hallway. Gabriel had originally planned on sleeping in the larger room, but now that Madeline was here, he'd give it up without a second thought. After all, she'd enjoy it far more than he ever would.

The room had its own king-sized bed, complete with a jacuzzi tub and mini-bar in the corner. But Gabriel's favorite part of this room was the shelf lined with books. He actually filled the shelf himself with some of his favorites in order to pass the time on the long flight to Egypt.

"Gabe!" Madeline gasped. "This is way fancier than any hotel I've ever stayed at. Really, I'd be much more comfortable on the couch. You can sleep in here instead."

Gabriel chuckled as he reached for _The Count of Monte Cristo_ and tucked it underneath his arm. He'd have to read this when he got a free minute or two. "There's a spare bedroom down the hall. But seriously. If I catch you sleeping on the couch, you're a dead woman."

Madeline laughed, her eyes still bright with both surprise and excitement. "Duly noted." She sighed happily and flopped backward onto the bed, sinking right into the mattress. "This is amazing, Gabe! I can't believe you get to live like this. I'd be lucky if I even got to see a private jet."

Sudden guilt crept up inside of him but he quickly pushed it back down. It wasn't as if he had a choice in the way he lived, but he was glad that it could make Madeline this happy.

Before he could answer her, a voice came over the jet's speaker at that moment. "Preparing for takeoff."

Sitting up abruptly, Madeline's eyes became wide. "Should I strap in?"

"Only if you want to. Flying private is a lot different than flying commercial. We'll be there in the morning."

At the same time that Gabriel took a step forward, Madeline got to her feet and at that moment, the jet jolted, causing him to lose his balance and knock right into Madeline. He instinctively wrapped one arm around her waist and used his other hand to brace the both of them against the wall as the jet rose higher and higher, gaining altitude by the second. He found himself gazing back into her large green eyes, heat filling his cheeks at her nearness. Wow, Madeline was so beautiful.

"S-s-sorry, I…"

Gabriel trailed off as a hint of blue and green caught his eye—ribbon that Madeline had tied onto the end of her braid. Not able to help himself, he trailed her braid through his fingers before the ends of her hair rested in his palm, giving him a closer look at the ribbons.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, confused. Either it was just one big coincidence, or these were the exact same ribbons he had tied onto Night Wing's gift.

"Nowhere!" she blurted, snatching her hair away from him as her cheeks suddenly got a warm, rosy glow. "Well, I mean I got them somewhere. The craft store! I got them at the craft store! Blue and green are my favorite colors."

Oh, so it _was_ just a coincidence. Of course that's all it was. Unless she somehow found the ribbons in the dumpster, they couldn't be the same ones he gave to Night Wing. Duh. Now he felt stupid.

"The colors look nice on you," Gabriel smiled, politely stepping away to give her a little more space. "I guess I'll give you some time to get settled in. Though I hope you're prepared to do a lot of sightseeing this week because I have an insatiable appetite for discovery."

He grinned, but then his grin turned into a shy smile as he opened his mouth to say something more, but no words came out. So instead, he used his book to point out into the hall before he disappeared and shut himself inside the spare room to gather his bearings. Madeline was here! With him! In the jet! And they'd be spending a lot of time together just the two of them as they traveled through Giza. He didn't know whether he was lucky or if he should be freaking out. This still felt like a dream to him—an amazing, beautiful dream.

Gabriel forced himself to take a deep breath. Despite his excitement at her presence, he couldn't forget the real reason why he was here—he was going to get to the bottom of this Miraculous business once and for all.


	12. Chapter 12

The desert wind whipped loose tendrils of Madeline's blonde hair around her face as they stepped onto the tarmac in Cairo. She tied a light blue scarf around her head, the ends fluttering just outside her view. She had chosen to wear a loose fitting white shirt and light blue pants and she was glad she had. It was a billion degrees here!

Madeline surveyed the landscape a little disbelievingly. She was in Egypt! She had dreamed of traveling to faraway places for so long, but it had always seemed like a distant dream. Smiling, she caught sight of the hazy outlines of the pyramids in the distance. This couldn't possibly be real...

"Well, that's everything."

Madeline turned her dreamy smile on Gabriel, who stood just behind them with their luggage.

"What?" Gabriel chuckled shyly, shifting from one foot to the other. Madeline laughed lightly, moving to take her bag from him.

"Nothing," she grinned. "It's just. I mean, I'm _in Egypt_!"

Gabriel's own smile widened at her excitement. "You haven't even been out of the airport yet. Just wait, it gets better."

With a nod, Madeline tried to shoulder her bag, but Gabriel stopped her. "I can carry it for you."

"Thanks," Madeline shrugged. "But it's not heavy."

Truthfully, she didn't want Gabriel to discover that she had brought the dress he made her. That would give away her identity completely. It had been a last minute impulse, but she couldn't leave the dress behind. Still, she felt nervous that Gabriel might discover it.

"Okay," Gabriel agreed easily. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," Madeline nodded, grabbing his hand and giving it a tug toward the airport terminal. "Now come on! I can't wait to get my first stamp in my passport!"

Gabriel laughed, jogging a couple of steps to catch up with her as they entered the terminal. The customs line was short and before Madeline knew it, an official stamped a page in her passport. When he handed it back, Madeline studied it, nearly giddy with excitement.

"So?" Gabriel asked as he joined her near a shop. "How does it feel to be a world traveler now?"

Madeline smiled, throwing her arms around his neck. "It feels wonderful! Thank you for inviting me."

Gabriel smiled shyly, gazing down into her eyes. Madeline's heart thumped hard as she looked up at him, inches apart. His eyes weren't exactly gray, she noticed. There were bluish flecks in the gray that brought them warmth. Her eyes flicked down to his lips and that familiar longing to kiss him sprang up inside her once again.

"Well, enough hugging," she laughed, pulling away, trying to cover for her momentary desire. "We have exploring to do. I don't know if I can sleep while we're here, I want to see absolutely everything!"

Gabriel let out a genuine laugh, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Everything, huh? Well, we better get busy."

He took Madeline's hand and led her out to the curb where a shiny black sedan awaited them. Apparently, Gabriel had ordered the car to drive them to their hotel sometime between when the plane landed and when they had managed their way through security.

"I could get used to this," Madeline sighed, unrolling her window and letting the hot breeze whip across her face, a light coating of dust filming her sunglasses as she practically stuck her head out. She wanted to absorb everything, this might be her only chance to leave France again.

"You remind me of a dog with your head out the window like that," Gabriel teased. Madeline giggled and arched her eyebrow at him in challenge.

"It's way more fun this way. Try it."

She half expected Gabriel wouldn't do it, but he surprised her by unrolling his own window and sticking his head outside. He let out a whoop, making Madeline laugh as they crossed the bridge over the Nile and into Giza.

They passed by colorful markets selling every variety of flower, food, clothing, and trinket Madeline could ever have imagined. She made a mental note to come back to one of them. Maybe she would find something to thank Gabe with. But somehow, buying something didn't feel quite right. It had to be more special than that.

The sedan slowed and turned up a curved driveway, distracting Madeline from her thoughts. Her jaw dropped as she saw their hotel. It was elegant and spacious with lush, green grounds and the pyramids providing the backdrop to the idyllic setting.

"Oh my goodness!" she breathed, glimpsing a bright blue pool off to one side of the courtyard. "This place is unbelievable!"

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably so he could look at her. "It's too much, isn't it? I'm sorry, but my dad is friends with the owner and he offered to let me stay free and…"

Madeline stopped his words with a finger to his lips. "It's perfect. Thank you."

But she was hard pressed to keep herself from gawking like an idiot as they entered the foyer and approached the front desk. A chandelier dripped sparkling white crystals from the ceiling, which was a mosaic of mirrors. Feeling slightly intimidated by the sheer luxury of the setting, her hand subconsciously found its way into Gabriel's and he gave her fingers a squeeze.

"I'll be right back," he smiled. "I just need to talk to the owner. I wasn't sure you were coming so I only got one room."

Madeline nodded, surveying her surroundings while she waited. She still had a hard time believing that this was real, it was too good to be true. Any minute now she would wake up from this amazing dream…

"Bad news," Gabriel startled her and she turned to face him. He was frowning, little lines appearing between his brows that she suddenly wanted to smooth away with her thumb.

"What happened?" she asked, trying to distract herself from his handsome features, but not quite succeeding.

"Well, the room I booked is the only one left. Apparently, there's a big conference here," he said sheepishly, carefully avoiding her gaze. "Which means we're going to have to share. I'm sorry."

Madeline blinked, trying to process his words. Rooming with Gabriel would be interesting, to say the least. But it couldn't be avoided, she could handle rooming with him. Right?

With a laugh, she said, "It's okay by me if you're fine with it."

Gabriel let out the breath he had clearly been holding and smiled. "I'm sorry. But that makes things so much easier."

Madeline smiled as he walked back over to the desk clerk to confirm their reservation. This trip was definitely going to be an adventure, in more ways than one.


	13. Chapter 13

Sharing a hotel room certainly wasn't something Gabriel planned on doing with Madeline. Now as he watched Madeline set her things down on the bed, he couldn't help but nervously bite his nails. Sharing a room wasn't the part he felt worried about, really. The part he felt worried about the most were the things he packed in his suitcase. What if she caught a glimpse of the purple staff? Or what if she discovered the book materials he brought that went into depth about the Miraculouses? She'd think he was crazy. No doubt about it.

"Are you sure you're fine with this?" Madeline asked as she glanced over her shoulder at him. "Honestly, it wouldn't be a big deal for me to find another hotel."

"T-that's not what I was thinking about!" Gabriel hurriedly lied. "I was just thinking about what I have planned for the day. You seem eager to explore, so I'm thinking about spending the day at the pyramids today. And then we could, if-if you wanted to, check out the restaurant downstairs. U-unless that's too fancy for you."

Great, now he was blabbering. Was there no end to the ways he could embarrass himself in front of Madeline? Unfortunately, she hardly gave him any time to prepare for this. Obviously, he didn't handle spontaneous well.

To his surprise, Madeline smiled. "A man with a plan. I like it. Now are you just going to stand there? Or are we going to go on an adventure?"

Gabriel straightened his glasses and let out a breath of relief. "There's a tour of the pyramids in an hour. If we leave now, we can make it. I just have to grab a few things. Meet you down in the lobby?"

"Sure, see you in a few minutes, Gabe."

When she disappeared from the room, Gabriel hastily scrambled to get his suitcase open and kept glancing toward the door as he packed his backpack. Although Madeline didn't come back inside the room, he couldn't help but feel overly cautious. Especially as he carefully took out the purple staff in the small case and slid it into his backpack. Maybe it could give him more information about the Miraculouses.

Only when he was all packed and down in the lobby did he visibly relax. Doing all this behind Madeline's back would definitely not be easy.

"Are you sure you're packing enough?" Madeline teased, bumping his elbow playfully. "I almost expected you to be lugging your whole suitcase around."

Gabriel feigned hurt. "Don't mock discovery! I'll have you know that there are still many mysteries that surround the pyramids and I want to uncover them all."

Madeline smiled. "If anyone could, then you'd be the one. Let's go. We don't want to be late."

They managed to catch a tour bus that carried a group of about twenty people to the pyramids, and Gabriel felt as if he were sitting on the edge of his seat with excitement. He felt both nervous and excited—nervous that he might be wrong about the Miraculouses having a connection with the pyramids, but excited that he might be right. Only time would tell.

"Are you excited?" Madeline asked sarcastically with a grin. "Because I can't tell."

"Ha-ha," he replied with a roll of his eyes. "You can't tell me that you're not excited, Miss I Want to Travel the World. I mean, just look at the pyramids! They're breathtaking, don't you think?"

"They sure are," she replied as she gazed out the window at the pyramids that were getting closer and closer by the minute. This was so exciting. Even better was that he got to share this experience with Madeline.

When they arrived at the pyramids, the tour guide gave them a brief history before leading them inside. The interior appeared dim, even with lights lining the walls, making him feel as if he had just entered a cave. After ascending what felt like a million stairs in a long, narrow hallway, they entered the queen's burial site. It was absolutely amazing from the ceiling to the walls to the floor. Unfortunately, it also appeared a bit empty, as robbers had pilfered everything they could when they had the chance. But still, it was amazing to see.

The tour guide led them down more long, narrow hallways, but Gabriel's eyebrows knit together in puzzlement as he noticed the layout of the structure.

Something wasn't right about this pyramid… The structure was gigantic but there weren't enough hallways and rooms to make up for that. What was going on? There had to be more to the pyramid than this.

He hadn't realized that he got pushed to the back of the tour group until he came out of his deep, focused thoughts. Even Madeline was further up than him, but she didn't seem to notice that he was all the way in the back.

Gabriel gasped in shock when his backpack began glowing purple, but thankfully he was at the rear end of the group and he was easily able to slip away, even leaving Madeline behind with the group. What…?

His jaw nearly dropped to the floor as he took the case out of his backpack to find the purple orb pulsating from where it rested on top of the staff. But the part that really intrigued him was that when he moved forward, the orb pulsated slower, but when he took several steps backward, it began pulsating faster. This meant something. It had to mean something.

So he continued walking back the way he came, following the frequency of the pulsing orb. The pulse led him down a hallway, but shortly came to a dead end before the purple light flickered out and died completely. How strange… Why did it bring him here?

Very slowly, Gabriel ran his fingers along the rough, sandy wall, but when some of the wall crumbled beneath his fingers, he jumped backward, glancing around to make sure no one just saw him destroy a part of a building that was thousands of years old. However, everyone looked to be in the next room, so he took a deep breath and flaked away the rest of the crumbling section of the wall. However, what he saw confused him. Even in the dim light of the dead end hallway, he could just barely make out a shape protruding from the wall. If he wasn't mistaken…

Gabriel's pulse quickened as he held up the staff's display case to the protruding shape, comparing the two of them, and sure enough, they were a perfect match. Oh boy.

Like he thought it would, when Gabriel pressed the box to the butterfly-like shape, it fit perfectly inside the butterfly-like keyhole. The display case clicked and the top creaked open after years and years of being sealed shut.

"Amazing…" Gabriel breathed as he carefully took the staff out of the box and examined it closely. Despite being locked away for so many years, the staff looked as if it were brand new, not a scratch or dent in sight.

However, in his focused fascination, he nearly dropped the case in his hands and scrambled for it, but in his haste, he nearly dropped the staff as well, just barely managing to catch it against the wall. Though, as soon as the purple orb touched the wall, the ground shook slightly beneath him. One by one, stairs appeared, leading downward into a dark cavern.

Every movie and book he'd ever seen or read told him not to go down there, but Gabriel's curiosity got the better of him and he followed the stairs downward into the darkness. Unfortunately, when he reached the bottom of the stairs, the stairs ascended once more, leaving him trapped in the darkness. Or at least he thought he was trapped in the darkness until the purple orb began glowing, showing him the way.

"I better not die down here," Gabriel muttered to himself. Thank goodness he wasn't ever one to feel claustrophobic in small, dark spaces.

The corridor led further and further until it opened up into a small room. Gabriel completely froze, his eyes widening as he glanced around in wonder. Riches of all sorts filled the small room from priceless gems to small trinkets and jewelry. Did the Egyptian government know about this? Somehow he doubted it.

A stone tablet lying on top of a mummy's stone tomb caught his eye, beckoning him forward. It read:

 _Many will seek_

 _Only one will find_

 _The treasure that lies inside_

 _Command over the body and the mind_

Oh boy. All the research he had done over the weeks did nothing to prepare him for this. Although Gabriel had a sliver of an idea of what he was looking for, he still was mostly guessing and already becoming lucky. At this point, he had absolutely no idea what he was doing and even less of an idea what to do from here. What did this riddle mean? What kind of control? And was this figurative or literal?

Setting his staff aside, Gabriel slowly pushed open the sarcophagus and when he saw what lay inside, his eyes widened. Even more jewels had been planted inside with the mummy, but surprisingly, that wasn't what caught his attention the most. What caught his eye was the butterfly-shaped brooch that lay on top of the mummy's chest, right over his heart. This couldn't be… Could it?

"The Miraculous…" Gabriel whispered to himself, reaching out for the purple brooch. However, his fingers stilled as he hesitated. What would happen if he touched it? Would the entire pyramid collapse? Would the ground swallow him whole?

He took a deep breath and quickly snatched the brooch, letting out a breath of relief when nothing happened. No walls caved in. He didn't get buried alive. He was still alive and he managed to find what he came here to find. But now what? What did this mean? How was he supposed to use it? If it could be used at all?

The slight flicker of white in the corner of his eye made him spin around, but he didn't see anything there. Strange… He swore he just saw a butterfly. This tomb was playing tricks on his eyes. He needed to get out of here.

Gathering up his things, Gabriel pushed the sarcophagus closed once more and held his staff up to guide him back the way he came. When he reached the end of the hallway, he pressed the purple orb to the wall and immediately, stairs dropped down from above and allowed him to get out of there. But when he turned back around, the stairs were gone, almost as if they hadn't been there in the first place.

Gabriel packed his things away in his backpack, carefully wrapping the Miraculous up and putting it inside a padded pocket to help protect it. He could study it later, but for now, he didn't want anyone to think he went missing.

"Gabe!" Madeline exclaimed as he made his way back to the group. "Where were you? I got worried."

He laughed nervously, trying not to betray where he had really gone.

"You're going to think I'm dumb for this… But I dropped my glasses when I was studying a marking on the wall. You know how blind I am without them. It took me forever to find them again."

The one thing he hated was lying to her, but he had no choice. Until he knew more, he couldn't let anybody in on his little secret.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," Madeline laughed as she brushed the dust off his clothing with her hand, but then heat rose up his neck as she entwined their fingers together. Just her touch alone made his heart go wild. "Come on. We don't want to get separated from the group."


	14. Chapter 14

"Did you feel that?" Duusu asked in a frightened whisper once they were outside the pyramid. Gabriel stood a few feet away at a stand talking to a salesman.

Madeline didn't have to ask Duusu what she was talking about. While they had been in the pyramid, she had felt it too. Something had shifted in the energy surrounding the pyramids, but she couldn't decide what had caused it.

"Do you know what it was?" she asked her kwami softly, handing Duusu her favorite treat, a Jolly Rancher. Popping the treat into her mouth so that her cheeks bulged like a hamster's, Duusu nodded.

"Another Miraculous has awakened," she whispered urgently. "Master Fu was only missing one, the butterfly. It's been dormant for hundreds of years."

Biting her lip, Madeline glanced around the crowded street. "Why would it awaken now? Does it have something to do with me being here?"

Duusu shrugged. "I don't know. But now that we know that it's here, we have to find it before someone else does. If it falls into the wrong hands, the repercussions could be catastrophic."

Madeline frowned, glancing up at the pyramids. She and Gabe would be here for a while, hopefully she could find the Miraculous and bring it safely to Master Fu.

"Ready?" Gabriel asked, shouldering his bulging backpack as he made his way toward her. Madeline didn't know why he needed so much stuff to go sight seeing. Maybe this was something experienced travelers did? Or at least the nerdy ones. Judging from the shape of the bulges in his backpack, she guessed most of them were probably books. Smiling, she threaded her arm through Gabe's. Nerdy was just another way of saying someone was passionate about something and Madeline liked that he was so passionate about whatever he did. He felt like a puzzle for her to solve, and the more pieces she put together, the more she liked him.

"I'm ready," she replied. "Where to?"

"Dinner?" Gabriel suggested as they walked through the bustling streets. "I have a surprise for you tonight."

"Sure," Madeline agreed. "But can we look through the market first? I meant it when I said I want to see everything."

Gabriel smiled, giving her hand a squeeze against his arm. "Sure. Anything you want."

They wove through the bustling crowds together and Madeline felt her attention torn more than once between the different stalls selling all sorts of things she'd never seen before and the feel of Gabriel's muscular bicep under her fingers.

They stopped at a dingy wooden stand where a man with a thick, dark mustache sat, rolls upon rolls of papyrus surrounding him. Gabriel immediately began pouring over several of the other scrolls, but the vendor's focus was entirely on Madeline.

"For the pretty lady," he smiled, holding out a scroll. Madeline gasped as she recognized an ancient peacock Miraculous holder. She stared at the man, her mouth hanging open. How could he possibly know?

"You look like someone familiar with the ancient ways," he said quietly as she studied the scroll. "Not everyone can hold power, but we recognize those few who do."

Madeline sucked in a breath, picking up the scroll.

"I'll take it," she murmured, holding out a handful of cash. But the man just shook his head.

"No. It is a gift," he smiled again. "A thank you for all you do."

Madeline felt tears of gratitude welling up in her eyes. No one had ever thanked her for being Night Wing before. Not that she did it for praise, but it felt good to hear it all the same. It was a lonely existence not being able to reveal her secret, so it felt good to share it with someone.

"Did you find anything good?" Madeline asked Gabriel as she tucked the scroll into her purse.

Gabriel shook his head. "Not what I'm looking for yet."

"Well, we're burning daylight, sweet cakes," Madeline teased. "Let's look around some more."

It wasn't until they had walked a few paces away that Madeline realized her slip. She had only called Gabriel nicknames like that as Night Wing. Had he noticed? She glanced sideways at him, but his attention was already focused on a jewelry store. Hopefully he hadn't.

"I want to buy you something," he smiled, leading her inside. Madeline stared at the rows and rows of gold necklaces, bracelets, rings, even a few knives. This was more gold than she'd ever seen in her life!

"You don't have to do that," she said quickly, feeling guilty because Gabriel was already spending so much money on her just bringing her here.

"I know," he shrugged, taking her hand and pulling her further inside. "But I want to. Humor me?"

Madeline nodded reluctantly. She'd never in a million years be able to thank Gabe for this amazing trip, and it had only just begun.

"Pick something," Gabriel smiled, gesturing to the glass cases. Madeline looked down, going to the least expensive case first. It was filled with cheap rings that looked like they would turn her fingers green. Okay, so maybe not those… But then the next display caught her attention.

"What are these?" she asked, pointing to necklaces with hieroglyphs inscribed on them. Gabriel smiled, leaning against the glass beside her.

"Those are khartouches," he explained. "The pharaohs wrote their names in the form of a khartouche. You can get one inscribed with your own name."

Madeline smiled and nodded. "I like that."

Gabe turned to the clerk and asked him a question in a language Madeline didn't understand. The man nodded, taking a blank khartouche into the back.

"He's making it up right now," Gabriel smiled. Madeline sputtered, staring at Gabriel.

"You really don't have to do this," she protested. "I can pay for it. I mean, I don't have a lot, but I have some money and…"

Gabriel laughed, effectively stopping her babbling. "Madeline, it's okay. I've never had anyone I really wanted to spend my money on before. It feels nice. I'd buy you a pyramid if it was for sale."

Madeline's lips twitched as she fought back a smile. "What would I do with a pyramid?"

"I don't know," Gabriel laughed. "Maybe you could make it your winter home or something."

They were both laughing by the time the clerk returned with Madeline's necklace. After Gabriel paid for it, he picked it up out of the box and fastened it gently around Madeline's neck. Warm chills radiated from the spot where Gabriel's fingers grazed her neck as he fastened the clasp.

"It looks great on you," he said, their eyes meeting in the mirror. Madeline smiled, patting the gold pendant. It did look amazing. She fingered the hieroglyphs gently, a smile spreading across her face.

"Thank you," she said, giving him a swift kiss on the cheek. She hadn't kissed him on the lips since that night as Night Wing, but she longed to do it again. "I love it."

They wound their way through the market, stopping in as many stores as they could manage. By the time they returned to the hotel, Madeline had spent almost an entire paycheck from the Louvre but she didn't care. She'd worry about it when she returned to Paris. For now, she just wanted to enjoy the trip. And Gabe.

They ate in the dining room at a window table that gave a perfect view of the courtyard and the pyramids beyond. After that, Gabriel led her to a rickety wooden dock, jutting out into the Nile.

"What are we doing?" Madeline laughed as her foot wobbled on one of the loose boards. Gabriel caught her arm, steadying her carefully.

"You'll see," he replied, flashing her a mischievous grin. Madeline was about to press him for more information, but her questions were all answered when a boat glided up to the dock. It was a simple wooden craft, but strung with Christmas lights that lent a soft glow to the deck.

"All aboard," Gabriel smiled as he helped her up, climbing up beside her. Other people filtered onto the deck, but the crowd remained small. Madeline found them a place at the railing right at the front of the boat, leaning over the side eagerly as the boat began to move once more.

"What do you think?" Gabriel asked with shy hopefulness. "You said you wanted to see everything and the Nile is beautiful in the moonlight."

"I love it!" Madeline sighed happily, leaning back against Gabriel's chest. She wanted to close her eyes and just absorb his warmth, but at the same time she didn't want to miss anything. She was surprised when Gabriel's arms snaked around her waist, pulling her a little closer to him. She didn't dare move, fearing she would break whatever magic spell this night had created.

The cruise was a short one, but Madeline left the boat fairly dancing with excitement. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had this much fun. Gabriel laughed as she gave an impulsive little twirl.

"I take it that my idea was a good one," he grinned, nudging her playfully as they fell into step beside each other, walking back through the market they had visited earlier.

"Well, as far as ideas go, it definitely wasn't the worst," Madeline teased back. After a moment's laughter, she sobered.

"Seriously, thank you for inviting me. I haven't had this much fun since...well forever, really. I know I did fun things with my parents, but I was too young to remember most of it."

Gabriel touched her arm gently in understanding. "I'm glad you're having fun. I don't think this trip would have been nearly as much fun without you."

Madeline opened her mouth to respond but a piercing scream split the silence. Without thinking twice, Madeline broke into a run, Gabriel right behind her. A scream of her own billowed in Madeline's throat as she saw what had caused the commotion. The kind man who had sold her the papyrus was lying in the street, his throat slashed with what looked like…

"Claws," Madeline gasped, feeling the blood drain from her face. La Panthère…

"Madeline!" Gabriel gasped as she swayed on the spot. He caught her arm as she sagged with the horror of the scene. La Panthère had followed her to Egypt.


	15. Chapter 15

Two things haunted him that night—the man that lay mangled on the ground at the market and the fear he saw etched in Madeline's eyes. Somehow, Gabriel felt as if that intense, raw fear she felt was more than just because of what happened in the market. Unfortunately, he couldn't piece together what made her so frightened. She wouldn't talk about it, either.

"Madeline, I'm really sorry you had to see that," Gabriel said softly as they returned to their hotel room. She would hardly even look at him, just stealing occasional glances but otherwise, avoiding eye contact altogether.

"He-He didn't deserve to die," she replied just as quietly, but then shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay here right now. I need some air."

She walked right past him and out the door, and Gabriel found himself staring at the closed door far longer than he had anticipated. If only there was something he could do to rectify the day…

An hour passed and still she didn't return, so instead of worrying himself raw over her, he locked himself in the bathroom and spread his research materials out around him, mainly focusing on the butterfly Miraculous and the purple-orbed staff. There had to be some sort of connection. The staff led him straight to the Miraculous. It couldn't have been just a coincidence, could it?

Gabriel poured over the documents, looking closely at all the details in each image of the Miraculous holders. They were simple depictions, but he got the gist of it.

"This is supposed to be a brooch?" Gabriel muttered to himself as he picked up the butterfly Miraculous and examined it closely. It looked both beautiful and mysterious. "How on earth am I supposed to get this to match _anything_ I wear?"

Still, he gave an exasperated sigh as he decided to completely clash his current outfit with the purple brooch. He'd repent for his little fashion mistake later, but for now, he needed to get to the bottom of this Miraculous mystery.

Very carefully, Gabriel fashioned the brooch onto his shirt, but he completely didn't expect what happened next to happen.

Something small and purple with a large spiral on its head zipped out of the brooch and gave him a huge smile. He should have probably freaked out, but he felt completely shocked.

"Hello, I'm Nooroo!" the little creature said, and Gabriel watched as it zipped from one side of the room to the other and back to him. "You must be the new Hawk Moth! I'm your kwami."

"Kwami?" Gabriel muttered as he flipped through page after page to find any mention of kwami but found none. "What do you have to do with the Miraculouses?"

Nooroo sat down on the book so he couldn't flip anymore pages. Now he had to give the small creature all of his attention. "I have everything to do with them. Miraculous holders need both a Miraculous and a kwami to be able to transform. How did you find me? I've been stuck in that crypt for so long!"

The kwami stretched her legs before flying once more, seeming to love its newfound freedom.

Gabriel scratched the side of his head and held up the staff. "I found this in my library back home, and I tracked the Miraculous all the way to Giza. But here's something I don't understand. How is this all connected? The seven Miraculouses? How many are active? What is the purpose?"

He had so many questions, but didn't even know where to begin in asking them.

"Miraculous holders are called when they are needed," Nooroo smiled. "Not all are needed, but from what I feel… There are three active right now."

"Which ones?"

Nooroo touched his hand lightly and smiled. "I can't say, only that I can feel their power. Would you like to know what your power is?"

"M-m-my power? I have a power?"

"Yes," she nodded. "And you must use it for good only. As you may have seen earlier, your rod can act as a beacon of light. But you must have it with you if you want to harness your true power—to control the bodies and minds of those you affect with your akumas."

Oh, so _those_ must be the butterflies depicted in the images. Now it made sense. Mostly.

Gabriel frowned at the thought. "Doesn't that seem…a little invasive? To control someone else?"

The kwami shrugged. "Not all battles can be fought on your own. Besides, the people you control won't remember it afterward. Not only that, but they need to be feeling a strong emotion to be able to be affected by the akumas and used for your purpose."

Adjusting his glasses, Gabriel continued to flip through the pages in the book that centered around Hawk Moth. None of this was recorded in the pages. None at all.

"How does this work from a scientific standpoint? I'm not able to wrap my mind around this. How can I possibly _control_ someone?"

"It's magic!" Nooroo laughed. "You can't hope to understand _everything_ , Mr…"

"Agreste. Gabriel Agreste."

Nooroo became quiet so suddenly that Gabriel had to glance up, just in time to see the tears in her eyes. "Your ancestor was a hero," she finally said reverently.

His eyes widened in surprise. His ancestor was a Miraculous holder? Then that made sense why there were so many artifacts back home in the secret library.

"Then why wasn't the Miraculous at the manor?" Gabriel asked confusedly. "Why did I have to travel all the way to Egypt?"

"Your ancestor hid the Miraculous away to keep it safe from those who wanted to use it for evil," she said. "That was the last time I saw daylight until today."

Gabriel nodded. He could ask more questions later, but right now he wanted to do a little experimenting. Not only did he want to see first hand how it was done, but he also wanted to discover the world that Night Wing became a part of. How would their transformations differ? How did their powers differ? What could Night Wing do that was so special?

"How do I transform?"

"Just tell me when you're ready and I'll do it for you. Just a little warning, though… I won't be there to help you when you detransform. You'll have to figure out how to detransform on your own. But don't worry, it's not too hard."

Again, he nodded, signaling that he was ready. Nooroo disappeared inside his brooch and that's when the transformation happened.

Starting from his toes, his shoes turned into black boots, his outfit turned into what looked to be a nicely tailored black and purple suit, and a silver mask covered his face. However, what surprised him the most was the fact that his glasses had disappeared with the transformation and he could see perfectly without them. What just happened?

Gabriel rushed to the mirror and his eyebrows shot up in surprise—he hardly recognized himself. But at least the butterfly Miraculous actually went with this outfit. He could make this work. After all, he didn't want to be running around like a fashion catastrophe.

He picked up his staff and to his surprise, the staff was longer now to match his height perfectly. Oh wow. He couldn't wait to try this out!

Poking his head out the bathroom door, Gabriel made sure Madeline was nowhere in sight before he went out on the balcony before shutting the door behind him. He took a deep breath as he looked over the edge. If Night Wing could do it, so could he.

However, when he climbed up onto the railing, his nerves failed him. This was so high up… And if he fell… Well, that wouldn't be good. But he had to trust in himself. He knew he could do this.

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel steadied himself and then jumped. To his surprise, he jumped much further than he ever could have without the Miraculous, landing unsteadily on his feet on the next balcony of the hotel. But still, he could do better than this. He had to. Otherwise, he'd certainly look like a complete fool in front of Night Wing when he returned to Paris. Somehow, he didn't want to look like a fool. Despite being head over heels for Madeline, when Night Wing had kissed him…

His cheeks filled with a rosy blush as he remembered the day she kissed him.

Suddenly, he lost his focus and his foot slipped, and he didn't even have time to scream as he fell downward. But to his surprise, he didn't hit the ground. Instead, a flurry of white butterflies caught him mid-air, feeling like a soft cushion. Very wobbly, he managed to get to his feet even as the butterflies carried him effortlessly. This was amazing! Although he may not be able to fly, this definitely seemed to be the next best thing.

Holding up his staff, the end glowed purple as he commanded his akumas. "Take me to that roof!"

The akumas did as they were told, taking him onto the next rooftop before dispersing all around him in a white plume and then disappearing inside the purple orb on his staff. Huh… Interesting. The akumas came when summoned. Well, despite the few stragglers that clung onto him despite trying to shake them off. He'd just have to get used to their presence.

As the night wore on, Gabriel gradually got the hang of leaping from rooftop to rooftop until he did so with ease, laughing and making new challenges for himself. This was incredible.

However, he froze when he saw a flicker of a shadow disappear behind the next building and his curiosity got the best of him. Gabriel followed after that shadow, and soon it became a chase as he chased the shadow and the shadow disappeared so fast that he wasn't even sure it was real.

Gabriel leaped down onto the ground, following the shadow into an alleyway. But to his surprise, the shadow had disappeared. He was about to turn back the way he came when something hard slammed into him, pinning him against the brick wall of the building as they held something up against his throat. His heart hammered hard in his chest, at least until he caught sight of the blue and green fan that the person held to his throat. It could only be…

"Night Wing!" Gabriel gasped in surprise, and her eyes widened in equal surprise.

"You're not La Panthère. Have we met? How do you know who I am?"

He tried to think up a fast lie, but then again, he was never very good at lying. "You're becoming somewhat of a legend, I hear. But I thought you were in Paris. What are you doing in Egypt?"

Of all the places to run into her, this had to be the weirdest. What a strange coincidence!

Night Wing lowered her fan, but she never lowered her guard. "It's none of your business. Who are you anyway?"

Right, he couldn't tell her the truth. Wasn't that some sort of cardinal rule?

"Hawk Moth," he replied, brushing the dust off his pants. But then his confidence went down a notch as one of his akumas landed lightly on his nose. His face reddened as he shooed the akuma away, but Night Wing just giggled.

"Butterfly looks good on you."

Gabriel had to take a deep breath because he felt as if he were on the verge of stuttering. Surely she'd be able to guess his identity if he even so much as let out a little stutter.

"And peacock looks good on you."

She grinned. "Touché." But then her smile fell and her expression became serious as she held her fan to his throat once more. "If you even so much as step out of line, I will end you. Do you understand?"

He swallowed hard and nodded, and then he watched as she spun around and disappeared into the night. Despite being Hawk Moth for literally an hour, he was already making friends. Great...


	16. Chapter 16

Madeline drooped by the time she reached the hotel again, just as the gray light of pre-dawn crept up on the horizon. She had spent all night looking for La Panthère, but her search had yielded nothing. No eye witnesses had seen the murder, there were no clues leading to where he might be. If it hadn't been for today's grisly scene, she might have wondered if she chased a figment of her imagination.

And what had been the deal with that Hawk Moth guy? He had shown up randomly in Egypt at the same time as her. Was he working with La Panthère? At this point, she would have believed anything.

Backflipping up onto the balcony, she transformed smoothly on her way up, hoping Gabe would be asleep. She cracked the door open and stepped inside. But to her surprise, Gabriel wasn't in the room. His bed didn't even look like it had been slept in. Frowning, she surveyed the room carefully. He was still in Egypt, or at least his clothes were. They hung in a neat row in the wardrobe across from her, each outfit carefully planned. She smiled, his quirky little habit of planning his outfits down to the cufflinks was adorable.

She was about to go downstairs and look for him when she heard a thump in the bathroom.

"Gabriel?" she called, tentatively tapping on the door. "Are you there?"

She heard another thump and then Gabe's voice. "Yeah, I'm just getting out of the shower. I'll be out in a minute."

Madeline let out a breath of relief, laying back on her bed. She was so tired… What she wouldn't give for a cup of coffee right now…

Another crash sounded, followed by the sound of Gabriel swearing.

"Are you okay?" Madeline called, padding back over to the door. At that exact moment, it flew open and Gabriel practically fell out, his glasses slightly askew and nothing but a towel around his waist. Her hands flew up to shield herself as they fell, slamming into his muscular chest.

"H-hi," he stumbled over his words, turning beet red. "S-sorry! I-I could-c-couldn't get the door unlocked."

He quickly rolled off of her, but Madeline just smiled, brushing herself off. "No problem. You sounded like you were really struggling in there."

Gabriel nodded, Shrugging a shirt onto his shoulders and starting to button it. "I-I was worried about you when you didn't come in for so long last night," he said, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Madeline lied. The truth was that La Panthère was messing with her head and she was afraid, but she couldn't tell Gabe any of that. "I just walked around a lot longer than I planned to. I couldn't get that dead guy out of my mind."

Looking down at his bare feet, Gabriel winced at the mention of the murder. "Sorry you had to see that. I wish there was something I could do to make it better."

Maybe it was because she was tired, maybe it was because she was afraid, but for the first time in years, Madeline burst into tears. Once the floodgates opened, she couldn't stop it. Every emotion, every fear, every heartache came spilling out at once. She didn't even notice Gabriel approach until he took her in his arms, stroking her hair gently as she sobbed. She balled her fists in the front of his shirt, he was the only thing in the world she had to hold onto and she clung to him like a drowning woman.

"It's okay," Gabriel soothed as he rubbed her back. "It's okay, sweetheart."

Madeline stayed in his arms a long time after her tears subsided, breathing in the masculine scent of him. He smelled like soap and something else, maybe old paper? She liked that smell. It was safe…

"Are you going to be alright?" Gabriel asked, holding her protectively and looking down into her eyes. Madeline nodded, heaving a sigh against his chest.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm not usually like that."

Gabriel smiled, kissing the top of her head gently. "Even if you were, I wouldn't care. I like you, Madeline."

All at once, her defenses dropped and Madeline stood on tiptoe, pressing her lips to Gabe's. He seemed surprised at first, but then his rigidness melted away as he returned her kiss. Sparks zipped between them as he moved his lips over hers, drowning out her troubles with the rush of adrenaline his nearness created. He felt so warm pressed up against her, and she loved the feeling of him so close. She was glad when Gabe's hand moved from her waist to the center of her back because her legs were starting to feel unstable. She wanted to fall into him, into his kiss. The way he kissed her was making her lose all sense of place and time and she found herself wishing he'd never stop.

They slowly sank onto the bed and Gabriel tugged her top over her head, kissing her along her collarbone and up her neck before their lips met again. Madeline ripped open his shirt and they both laughed as buttons went flying.

"Sorry," she giggled as he kissed her again. Gabriel shrugged, kissing her nose and then her cheeks.

"It's okay. I wasn't planning on wearing that one again this trip anyway."

After a while, they just lay there, kissing quietly, patiently now, as the glow from the gap in the curtains brightened the room. Madeline smiled, folding herself into Gabriel's warmth as he brushed her hair back off her face.

"Madeline?" he whispered into her tumbled hair. "Do you want some coffee?"

Madeline giggled, rolling over so she could kiss him properly. "Why don't we get dressed and go down to breakfast? I'm starving."

Gabe groaned but nodded. "I don't want to leave yet. This is too nice."

"Okay," Madeline whispered, kissing his jaw just below his ear. "Five more minutes."


	17. Chapter 17

Gabriel honestly didn't know what he did right for Madeline to return his feelings. She always seemed so confident, strong, and she was so lovely, and here he was thinking that he was the biggest geek in the world. But as long as she didn't mind… He felt like the luckiest guy on earth.

Guilt crept up inside of him as he wondered what Madeline might think if she found out that Night Wing kissed him. Sure, it hadn't happened since, but now that she was in Egypt too, he didn't know if she'd try again.

 _Probably not_ , he reckoned, relaxing slightly. He was lucky enough to get one woman to like him and it would be a miracle if two liked him.

His cheeks heated up as Madeline came to sit beside him at the table, resting her head on his shoulder as they sipped their coffee in companionable silence. What did this mean for them? Would this turn into something? Honestly, he really hoped so.

He frowned as he thought about how disgruntled his father had been just before he left for Egypt. First, Gabriel turned down the marriage with Samantha before leaving abruptly to a foreign country. Then, he took a woman with him that he knew his parents wouldn't approve of, especially if he brought her home. If she had wealth and a famed family, then she'd be accepted wholeheartedly. But neither one was the case so he feared what would happen if he were to bring her home.

"What are you thinking about?" Madeline murmured softly, kissing him gently on the cheek. Gabriel couldn't help but smile at the gesture. He just felt so happy around her.

"That I don't want this trip to ever end," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "I'm really glad you decided to come with me. I-I know I asked so suddenly…"

"Why did you ask me?" Madeline said with a smirk, making him realize that she only wanted to get a reaction out of him. Unfortunately, she did. He suddenly felt flustered and the backs of his ears turned red.

"I-I-I don't know. I mean, I do know. You're amazing. Well, not just that. Y-Y-You're beautiful and kind and exciting, a-a-and I kind of just blurted it—"

Madeline stopped his words by pulling him down for a kiss, and his wide, surprised eyes quickly closed as he leaned into her and smiled into the kiss.

Very suddenly, Madeline gasped and her face became pale white with fear as she glanced toward the doorway, but when Gabriel followed her gaze, he could see nothing out of the ordinary. Tourists walked in and out of the café along with plenty of men in suits for the conference taking place at the hotel.

"Are you okay?" Gabriel asked confusedly.  
Getting to her feet in a hurry, Madeline stood up abruptly and pulled him to his feet after her. "I just thought I saw something but it was nothing. Come on, let's go do something today. I've always wanted to see the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Even you can't turn down something like this."

"You're certainly right about that," he replied as he wiped off his glasses and put them on again. However, he still didn't see anything strange jump out at him. What had she been so afraid of? "Let's get going, shall we?"

On their way to the mosque, Gabriel noticed that the fear still hadn't left Madeline's eyes. What on earth had she seen and what could have made her feel this afraid?

He silently wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, feeling her relax slightly in his embrace. Perhaps she just had a small PTSD episode from seeing the events from the night before. Honestly, she needed to sleep. Something told him that she hadn't slept a wink since that incident. Then it was decided—tonight would be an early night for the both of them.

Gabriel's jaw dropped in amazement as they entered the mosque. Although he had seen some incredible sights in his life, this definitely found its way to the top. The architecture of the ceiling alone looked strikingly beautiful, enough to completely take his breath away.

"Wow…" Madeline marveled beside him. "I've never seen anything like this.

"Me neither…" he murmured, turning in a full circle to take in the view as a whole. The domes on the ceiling looked so ornate with all the gold, red, and black staring back at him. It was as if the Egyptian gods themselves created this.

"Did you know that this mosque was commissioned by Muhummad Ali Pasha in memory of Tusan Pasha? I can't even imagine receiving a gift such as this from my parents."

Involuntarily, his eyebrows rose in surprise, feeling impressed with her knowledge. "I didn't realize you were a history enthusiast."

"Where art is concerned, yes. Though I doubt I could out-trivia you."

Gabriel chuckled as he gazed up at the domed ceiling overhead. "You could certainly give me a run for my money. Have you ever thought about doing something art history-related?"

Madeline shrugged, absently picking at her blouse while avoiding eye contact with him. "That was the plan. But it's not easy for someone like me to get to where I want to be."

"What do you mean?"

Again, she shrugged, her lips pressing tightly together before she spoke. "I've had to work my way up all by myself and it's been hard. It was a miracle when I got into college. But I had to quit… I couldn't afford to keep going. But I'm hoping I can still finish. I just have a lot on my hands at the moment."

That didn't entirely seem fair. Madeline seemed to be so bright and passionate about art, judging from the few times they had talked about it together. And knowing her, she'd never accept his help if he offered it. But there had to be _something_ he could do…

Before he could reply, a loud metallic scraping noise reverberated across the large room, making him cringe. Just the sound alone made goosebumps crawl up his arms.

Beside him, Madeline gasped. "La Panthère!"

Gabriel's eyes widened at seeing the villain for the first time. He somehow latched himself up high on one of the pillars and was clad in all black and even wore a black mask that covered the top half of his head, giving him short black ears as if he really was a black panther. However, if La Panthère was seen right now, it was because he wanted to be seen.

"You tried very hard to escape me, darling Night Wing," La Panthère laughed, his voice echoing off the walls of the mosque. "But running won't do you any good—I will always find you."

Gabriel glanced frantically around to see if he could spot Night Wing, but she was nowhere in sight.

An explosion went off as a diversion, and that's when chaos ensued. People began running and screaming, but the worst part was that everyone was trapped inside. Somehow La Panthère managed to lock all the doors in a way that prevented escape.

"Gabe!" Madeline called over the chaos and only then did he find her yards away, getting pushed backward from the frantic crowds. She reached out to him and he tried to grasp onto her hand but the swarm pulled them apart, and soon enough, he couldn't see her at all.

He grit his teeth as he firmed his resolve. Although he didn't really have any interest in being a superhero, he didn't have much of a choice. Madeline might get hurt if he didn't do something about it.

So he darted behind a wall and in seconds, transformed into Hawk Moth. Just around the corner, people continued screaming and running around frantically. People were going to get hurt if he didn't do something about it.

As Hawk Moth, he did his best to peer over the heads to find Madeline, but despite all his efforts, he found her nowhere. This chaos began to frustrate him. He had to do something about this now!

Gabriel slammed the end of his staff down on the ground in frustration and a swarm of purple butterflies escaped, spreading throughout the room and disappearing as soon as they brushed one of the frantic people. Within seconds, a room full of screaming and running and punching came to a complete standstill as Gabriel took control of each and every one of them. However, even as everyone stilled, he still couldn't find Madeline in the crowd. What if La Panthère took her? He'd regret the day he ever laid hands on her.

A breath of shock escaped him as spotted a flicker of blue and green lying on the ground, blocking her face as if she was just about to get attacked, but her hands moved when she realized that the entire room had frozen.

He rushed to her side and offered her his hand, which she very hesitantly took, allowing him to help her to her feet.

"What the…" Night Wing muttered as she glanced about the room, seeing everyone frozen to the spot, some even stuck on one foot as they started to run. "Did you do this? You can stop time?"

A laugh escaped Gabriel as he tapped the end of his staff to the ground and in a split second, everyone moved at once, forming several very straight lines as if they were robots. He didn't even know he could do this, but he couldn't lie and say that he didn't enjoy it.

"I don't think _time_ is the right word for it…" he said, but then he spotted a woman in one of the lines holding a bouquet of flowers and made her approach Night Wing. "For you." The woman held out a single flower to Night Wing who took it from her tentatively.

"How… How do you do this?"

"Well, I'm still trying to figure out how it's done scientifically, but my kwami says it's magic."

Night Wing's eyes raked him up and down. "I thought you were a Miraculous holder, but I couldn't be sure."

Another explosion went off in the next room, bringing both him and Night Wing to attention. "Come on. We don't want La Panthère to get away this time."


	18. Chapter 18

A rush of adrenaline pounded in Madeline's ears as she and Hawk Moth took off in pursuit of La Panthère. She would not let him get away this time. She wouldn't live in fear of him anymore.

"I thought this guy was in Paris," Hawk Moth commented. "What's he doing here?"

Madeline rolled her eyes, skirting around some shoppers. "Short version, he has a grudge against me."

"What for?"

"No idea," Madeline grimaced, leaping to the top of a building to avoid the crowds. Hawk Moth remained hot on her heels. "But if we catch him, believe me, it's the first thing I'm going to ask him."

Hawk Moth let out a low chuckle at her words and Madeline found her own lips quirking up in spite of herself as she leaped between two rooftops. She caught sight of La Panthère just ahead of them on the street below. He seemed to sense them coming, turning quickly. Madeline didn't see the flash of silver streaking toward her until Hawk Moth collided with her. The knife zipped past her, missing her ear by inches. She and Hawk Moth tumbled to the rooftop together until they landed in a heap.

Madeline groaned as she and Hawk Moth untangled themselves. Looking up, she sucked in a breath as she met a pair of piercing gray eyes under his mask. She wondered for a split second who he was under there, but shook the thought away. There wasn't time to be thinking about anything other than La Panthère.

"What?" Hawk Moth asked as she continued to stare at him for a moment longer. "Don't tell me I split my pants or something."

With an exasperated laugh, Madeline shook her head. "It's nothing. Come on. We're losing him."

Pushing off gracefully, Madeline sailed from rooftop to rooftop, using her fans to slow her slightly. She couldn't see La Panthère anymore and let out a frustrated breath. She couldn't let him get away. Not this time. She leaped onto the next rooftop and narrowly missed another blade. This one stuck in the side of the building and she wrenched it out. It was smooth and slightly curved—like a claw.

She shivered, jumping down into the alley where she was met by an angry punch from La Panthère. Her body slammed into the wall, cracking her skull against the pavement. She rolled over so she faced La Panthère, knife in hand.

"Drop it, girl," he snarled. "Or I'll make sure your butterfly friend dies unpleasantly while you watch."

Madeline felt a chill race up her spine. She had no idea who Hawk Moth was but she didn't want him to die either. She dropped it, and when La Panthère stooped to pick it up, Madeline seized her chance. She smashed an elbow into the side of his skull and darted away when he reeled backward. He flung the knife he had just retrieved at her, but Madeline grabbed a flag pole and swung herself up. She perched carefully on it until he was close enough, then she grabbed the pipe and swung herself down, her feet connecting with La Panthère's chest and causing the breath to leave his lungs with a wheeze. He staggered, but Madeline kept moving. She spun, aiming a high kick at La Panthère's face. Her heel connected satisfyingly with his jaw, dropping him to the ground. He scrambled to his feet, blood running into his mouth from both nostrils. La Panthère smiled, his teeth coated in a sickening shade of red.

Her attacker threw up his forearms like a boxer, but Madeline slipped to the side, pushed La Panthère's elbow down and away, using one fan to catch him around the throat, and rolled him onto the ground.

La Panthère got to his feet again as Madeline started to run, pushing over a pile of crates and pallets as she passed them to make a barricade. Before she could move any further, her foot caught on an uneven piece of concrete and she sprawled forward, banging her skull against the street again.

Laughter sounded behind her as she struggled to her feet, her body protesting with every movement. Spots flashed in front of her eyes as she found her footing. La Panthère lunged, the ends of his fingers coated in sharp, glittering steel. But before he could get to her, he froze, becoming completely docile.

"It's alright," Hawk Moth said, forcing La Panthère to his knees with his powers. "I've got him."

Madeline rolled her eyes, stepping over La Panthère's prone form. "Sure, you've got him. I just took him out for you."

"Sure, you did," Hawk Moth replied in an infuriatingly smug way.

"His attention was on me," Madeline snapped in annoyance. She hadn't known this twerp for more than a day and he was already taking all the credit.

"A fact I exploited to do my job," Hawk Moth pointed out, glancing at La Panthère. His lips curved into a smile and she realized he was teasing her.

"My job, you mean," Madeline returned, enjoying the playful banter.

"I helped you," Hawk Moth chuckled. "How about you just say thank you?"

"Thanks," Madeline shrugged, her lips quirking up. "But I don't need any help."

Hawk Moth raised his eyebrows. "The fight I just saw would indicate otherwise."

Rolling her eyes, Madeline poked La Panthère with her toe. "Well, what should we do with him? I mean he was after me, he's my responsibility."

"Well, we could share, you know," Hawk Moth pointed out. Madeline shook her head, trying to contain a smile.

"I work alone," she said, moving closer to Hawk Moth. He took a step backward, bumping into the wall, his eyes widening when she leaned in closer. Madeline grinned, trailing her fingers along his jaw. He was fun to tease.

"However, since he won't stay subdued for long, I guess I could use some help. This time."

Hawk Moth's lips twitched and he nodded. "Whatever you say, Princess. Lead the way."

They moved quickly down the alley until Madeline found an unlocked door. She pulled it open slightly before nodding.

"Put him in here," she said, gesturing to the empty warehouse. Hawk Moth nodded, guiding a submissive La Panthère inside and shutting the door.

"Now," Madeline said through clenched teeth. "You're going to tell me exactly why you've been following me. It's time for a little interrogation. Do you understand?"

La Panthère nodded, his voice hollow. "Yes."

"Who are you?" Madeline asked. "What do you want with me?"

"My name is Jean Loudion." La Panthere turned his head toward her, his eyes slightly glazed. "Since the beginning of time, the spirits have acted as guardians of our world, and they have spoken to me. They say the Miraculous holders have failed humanity. That is why the spirits have chosen me to usher in a new era of balance. I am on a quest to rid the world of those with powers and restore balance to the world."

Madeline frowned, glancing at Hawk Moth. What La Panthère was saying went against everything she had learned from Master Fu.

"You're wrong," she spat. "Miraculous holders were placed here by the ancient spirits to bring balance and harmony to the world."

La Panthère let out a hollow laugh. "Try telling that to my family. They're dead because of you."

Madeline froze, her heart pounding wildly in her ears. "What did you say?"

"You heard me," La Panthère snarled. "Think back, Night Wing. January of last year."

The blood in Madeline's veins froze as she stared at La Panthère. A memory that she had tried to forget since the day it happened surfaced. A terrifying night on the frozen Seine when she had tried to save three people who had fallen through the ice. She had been too late. By the time she had managed to get them out, all three were already dead.

"No," she moaned, reeling backward as though she had been punched in the gut. "No."

La Panthère gave her an evil smile. "I see you remember. You're responsible for their deaths."

"I-I…" Madeline didn't even know how that sentence was supposed to end. She had tried to save them, but she couldn't. Nightmares about that horrific night still haunted her every now and then.

"I set the orphanage fire to lure you there, hoping I would finally have a chance to kill you," La Panthère snarled. "But that spoiled rich boy ruined my plans. So I had to think of a different way. Next, I tried killing the street vendor you made friends with…"

Madeline swayed on the spot. That man's death was all her fault. If she had never come here, he would still be alive.

"That's enough," Hawk Moth snapped and La Panthère's smiling mouth closed abruptly. Hawk Moth's eyes found Madeline and when he spoke, his voice was gentle.

"Night Wing," he said soothingly, but Madeline couldn't hear it right now. She stumbled backward toward the door, unable to see or think or breathe.

"I need some air," she gasped, darting out into the alley and closing the door with a bang behind her.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Warning! Chapter contains some mature content. Skip the second half of this chapter (separated by asterisks) if you don't want to read that.**

Normally, Gabriel had great concentration, especially when it had to do with focusing on one of his geeky science projects. But the moment Night Wing fled, his concentration became split between going after her and keeping La Panthère steady. This made it so he lost hold of La Panthère completely.

In a quick motion, La Panthère leaped to his feet and lashed out at him with a roundhouse kick to the ribs, knocking the air right out of Gabriel as he smashed back against the wall, black dots clouding his vision.

"Just so you don't get any ideas about trying that again," La Panthère said in a frustratingly smooth voice just before something hard smashed against the side of Gabriel's head. Gabriel crumpled to his hands and knees, fighting off the darkness that threatened to overwhelm him. It proved to be a struggle, but somehow he managed to get back onto his feet, but by that time, La Panthère had already disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

Gabriel swore under his breath as he stumbled toward the exit, reaching a hand out to brace himself when he thought he might tip over.

"Wow, my head hurts…" he mumbled as he put a hand to the spot where La Panthère struck him, horrified to find his fingers coming back bloody. That couldn't be good.

He squinted against the light as he exited the empty warehouse and became bathed in light. Great, not only did La Panthère escape, but he lost Night Wing and he had no idea where he was. Fortunately, the mosque stood out like a sore thumb, so if he just climbed high enough…

When he climbed up the ladder and made it to the rooftop, he sighed in relief when the mosque came into view, but that relief was short lived as his staff began beeping. What in the world?

Ignoring the beeping, he leaped from rooftop to rooftop on his way back to the mosque, but then something happened that he hadn't even counted on happening. The detransformation started at his feet first and then traveled up his torso, and finally ended at his head, all right as he was making a leap to the next rooftop. Without his Miraculous abilities to help him, his hands and feet slipped, completely unable to get a good grip on the brick wall.

Gabriel let out a yelp as he fell a couple stories and smashed into a dumpster, the metallic bin ringing in his ears with his sudden weight.

"Are you okay?!" Nooroo cried as she took his hand, but being as small as she was, she couldn't even help him up in the slightest.

He groaned as he sat up, assessing for damage. His head hurt like hell and he had several other bruises and scrapes, but at least he was alive and nothing was broken.

"What happened? I didn't ask to be detransformed."

Nooroo grimaced and avoided looking him in the eye. "I suppose I should have explained that part. After you use your special power, your clock starts ticking down before the Miraculous's strength—or rather my strength—is depleted and needs to recharge. As soon as La Panthère came out of your hold, your timer started counting down."

Another groan escaped him as he heaved himself out of the dumpster, landing unsteadily on his feet. "Well, I hope we don't have a repeat. I'm not really interested in being a superhero. Obviously, I'm not cut out for it."

"What?" Nooroo squeaked as she floated closely after him as he wound his way through the alley. "But what about Night Wing? She needs your help whether or not she wants to admit it."

Gabriel shrugged. "Like she said before, she works alone. And I only found the Miraculous for educational purposes. It was never my intention to put on a costume and prance about the city with my entourage of white butterflies." He stopped for a moment and gave the kwami an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Nooroo. The hero you're looking for isn't me."

"But it is!" she cried, now sitting on his shoulder. "You _are_ cut out for this. All it just takes is a little practice. Believe me. Please don't give up just yet."

Giving up wasn't what he was doing. What he was doing was rejecting the mantle. Because of him, La Panthère got away and Night Wing ran away practically in tears.

"I need to find Madeline," he grunted, forcing his bruised and battered body forward. "I hope she's alright. I couldn't find her in the mosque but La Panthère didn't have her either."

When he returned to the mosque, the Egyptian police had managed to get the doors unlocked and a flood of people stood out front, looking both confused and frightened. Gabriel scanned the crowd for a familiar face with familiar blonde hair, his stomach sinking further and further each moment that he couldn't find her. But at last, a voice called out to him from behind.

"Gabe!"

He turned around just in time for a pair of arms to wrap tightly around his neck. Thank goodness Madeline appeared to be alright.

However, Madeline's relieved expression turned into one of concern. "Gabe, you're hurt! What happened?"

He winced as she lightly dabbed at the side of his head. "I didn't really see what hit me." Which was the truth. "I'm sure it looks worse than it is."

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital."

"I'm fine, Mads," he said softly as he stilled her hand with his own. "But I'm thinking today should just be a hotel day. What do you say?"

Madeline nodded and slipped her hand into his. "Yeah, that sounds good. But that doesn't mean you're not going to be fussed over. Like it or not, you're going to get bandaged up." She held out her hand for him to shake. "Doctor Madeline, at your service."

Gabriel chuckled. "As your newest patient, I thank you."

Being doctored by Madeline was the good part. Everything else… Not so much.

Not only did she have to tend to his head wound, but she even found some glass shards in his arm that she had to dig out. Unfortunately, it was probably from a glass bottle that he landed on when he fell into the dumpster. Madeline couldn't even fathom how it got there in the first place and he didn't bother telling her. She might not believe him even if he told her the truth.

"There!" Madeline cried triumphantly as she placed a bandage on his arm with a flourish. "I believe doctor Madeline has done her job."

"Very thoroughly, too, I might add," Gabriel grinned.

Madeline grinned slyly as she straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning dangerously close to his ear. "I can do other things thoroughly besides bandaging a wounded man. I wouldn't mind giving a demonstration."

Gabriel's eyes widened as he caught her provocative meaning, an immediate flush rising up his neck. "I-I-I… W-W-Well I…"

Oh geez, he couldn't talk—she made him feel beyond flustered.

Sighing, Madeline stood up. "Of course, you're probably too wounded anyway."

He shook his head insistently. "N-N-No, I'm feeling perfectly f-fine."

She grinned wickedly, seeming to love teasing him. Grabbing onto the tie that he didn't even remember putting on that morning, Madeline pulled him onto his feet and led him to the bed, slowly pushing him until he laid down on the bed, gazing up at her as she straddled him.

"I don't believe you need this anymore," she said coyly as she seductively slid his tie off from around his neck and threw it to the floor. "Actually, you have too much clothing on for my taste. Let's get rid of this too."

Very slowly, Madeline unbuttoned his shirt, her fingers creating a wake of fire everywhere they touched his skin. When Gabriel reached up in an attempt to slide her shirt over her head, she stopped him and pinned his hands above his head.

"Nuh uh uh. Only doctors get to touch. You, sir, are my patient."

The longing inside of him grew but he refrained himself from touching her just as she said, but it became more difficult when she slid his belt from its case and threw it aside. Her lips trailed from his throat and down his chest, teasing him at the waistband of his pants. Surely, he's waited long enough…

"M-Madeline, I—"

She pinned his hands over his head once more as he tried to move them. "What did I say?" she whispered teasingly in his ear, the desire inside of him going insane. "No touching."

To make his desire become even stronger, Madeline unhurriedly unbuttoned her blouse one button at a time. Heat flushed through his body from his head all the way down to his toes as he took in her beautiful skin, and especially the lingerie that she hadn't been wearing the last time. He felt completely speechless as she pulled her hair out of its ponytail, shaking the blonde tendrils loose so it fell flatteringly across her shoulders.

Gabriel just couldn't help himself as he hooked his finger around the center of her bra in between her cleavage and pulled her close. However, she hovered just out of reach so he couldn't kiss her.

"What did I tell you about touching?" she whispered enticingly, making him sigh torturously.

"I-I-I'm not touching," he replied as he forced himself to let her go. He didn't think he could handle this for much longer, especially as she shimmied out of her pants and straddled him once more in just her underwear. The lace was see-through, giving him a very nice view.

"Beg," Madeline whispered alluringly as she slipped her bra straps off her shoulders so they hung loose. Just one tug could…

"P-Please," he stammered.

Madeline's lips quirked up into a grin. "You can beg harder than that."

He couldn't hold himself back anymore. In a fluid movement, Gabriel flipped Madeline over so she laid on her back on the bed and now he straddled her, indulging himself in a fiery kiss that Madeline wholeheartedly returned. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer so there was hardly any space between the two of them.

Gabriel let out a hiss of pleasure as she pulled his head back by the hair and began trailing kisses down his throat. He absolutely loved the way she fearlessly took control.

Afterward, they lay together on the bed, Gabriel holding her gently in his arms from behind. He kissed her ever so softly right below her ear as she lie sleeping. She had been sleeping for hours and she looked more like an angel than anything he had ever seen before. Madeline was perfect.

Quietly, Gabriel slipped away and rounded the bed so he could crouch next to Madeline as she slept. He kissed her on the lips and watched her stir until she finally opened her eyes.

"Hey," Madeline murmured with a smile.

"Hey," he said quietly, hating to disturb her in her sleep. But he didn't think she would want to miss out on this.

Gabriel kissed her nose and then her lips. "I have something to show you. Come with me?"

Madeline stretched and let out a long, loud yawn. "What time is it?"

"Two in the morning. I promise you can sleep afterward. I just wanted to share something special with you."

Wrapping herself in a blanket, Madeline followed him outside onto the balcony and breathed in sharply when she saw the roses, candles, and telescope already set up. Gabriel had even included a couple packages of Oreos to share.

"Gabriel!" she gasped. "What's all this?"

"There's a meteor shower tonight." He grinned slyly at her reaction. "What? You don't think I would have left my telescope behind on a night like this, do you?"

She giggled and sat down on the blanket, helping herself to a couple Oreos. "I suppose not. But I should expect nothing less from a space enthusiast."

After searching the sky for a minute, Gabriel excitedly took Madeline's hand and pulled her closer so she could see what he just saw. She gasped and her eyes widened as she watched the meteor shower through the telescope. He just loved seeing her reaction at one of the things he loved most in this world.

"Gabe, this is beautiful!" she said in awe, watching for a couple minutes. "Here, you take a turn."

He smiled and did as she said, watching the beauty of the shower through the lens. Honestly, he couldn't deny that he loved sharing his favorite thing with his favorite person.

Madeline slid her hand into his and gave his fingers a squeeze. Right there in that moment, the world had never seemed so perfect.


	20. Chapter 20

Madeline awoke gradually in the warm strength of Gabriel's arms. She snuggled closer, half tempted to let herself drift off again, but she knew she couldn't. She had work to do.

Sitting up, she gently unwound herself from Gabriel's arms, smiling as she caught sight of her tousled hair in the mirror. Last night had been absolutely perfect, she couldn't have asked for better. She threw a glance over her shoulder at Gabriel, who still slept, snoring gently. Her smile widened as she gazed thoughtfully at him. He looked so handsome, even in sleep, that she had to fight the urge to lean in and wake him with a kiss.

Moving into the bathroom, she stared at the enormous smile on her face in the mirror for several long minutes. In spite of everything that had happened with La Panthère, she couldn't remember the last time she had been this happy. Gabriel was everything to her now. She had never expected to be able to let someone in so completely, but there was something about him that had completely won her over.

Realization broke into her consciousness like lightning. She was falling for him. Totally and completely. She didn't want to live a life without Gabriel and that scared her. She had always been on her own, so having her happiness linked to someone else was new...and terrifyingly exhilarating.

Madeline leaned against the sink, trying to catch her breath at the idea. She had never seriously considered settling down with someone. Actually, she had assumed that she would be alone for the rest of her life. She would continue her quest to bring justice and help to those who needed it. Alone. How had this happened?

She shivered, remembering what having a family had done to La Panthère. He had been completely destroyed by the death of his loved ones. Madeline couldn't begin to imagine going through that pain again. She had already lost her family once. She couldn't do it again. It hurt just thinking about it.

With a groan, she stepped into the shower and splashing water on her face. It didn't matter, not really. She couldn't have a relationship, not a real one. As long as she had to keep her identity as Night Wing a secret from Gabe, they could never have a true relationship. The thought caused her eyes to burn with tears. She didn't want to lose him either…

"Damnit," she cursed softly, resting her head against the cool tile of the shower wall. "How did this happen?"

Hawk Moth popped into her mind and she wondered if he could give her some advice. But she immediately dismissed the thought. She didn't know Hawk Moth well enough to ask him questions like that.

Madeline stayed under the warm jet much longer than she normally did. She needed the time to think and she wanted to make sure that Gabriel wouldn't be able to tell that she had been crying before she stepped out and wrapped a towel around her body. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the room. Gabe stood just outside the balcony door, taking in the view as he sipped a cup of coffee. Her heart thudded and her steely resolve melted in a moment. She loved him so much…

"Morning, beautiful," Gabe said cheerily. "I ordered us some Turkish coffee. We'll probably need the extra caffeine since we were up so late."

A smile played across Madeline's lips as she took her own cup from a tray that rested on the night stand. Next to it, a bright red rosebud rested in a small vase. Her heart pinched slightly as she smelled the fragrant flower.

"Thanks," she murmured, wrapping herself in the bathrobe the hotel had provided and coming to sit at the table with Gabe. The table was still strewn with the remains of last night's midnight picnic, but her heart lightened slightly at the sight. Gabriel was so sweet…

They gazed out at the view together, sipping their coffee quietly. Gabriel reached over and played with the silky ends of her golden curls before kissing her lips tenderly. Madeline thrilled from head to toe at his touch. Oh man, what was she going to do?

"You okay?" Gabriel asked, softly caressing her cheek with his fingers. "Your eyes are red."

Madeline nodded, taking another sip of coffee. "I'm just tired. Plus, I got a little soap in my eyes in the shower."

Gabriel pressed his lips together, surveying her closely. She knew he wanted to refute her statement, but she was grateful when he let it slide.

"I was thinking we could visit the Manial Palace today," Gabriel continued, his eyes following a gardener around the immaculate grounds. "What do you think?"

Nodding, Madeline pasted a smile on her face. "I think that sounds great. I want to check out Tahrir Square too."

"Okay," Gabriel nodded, a teasing smile on his face. "Have you ever ridden a camel before?"

Madeline's eyes widened. "No, I haven't."

"Get dressed," Gabriel chuckled, giving her a light kiss. "Our transportation is waiting for us downstairs."

Madeline practically flew as she put on a simple light blue dress and gave herself a light dusting of makeup. She wrapped a floaty white scarf around her hair and slipped into a pair of white ballet flats that laced up her ankles. When she emerged, Gabriel's eyes swept appreciatively over her before he held out his hand to her. Madeline took it and he gave her fingers a squeeze.

"I-I know this trip hasn't been exactly perfect," he said with a sheepish laugh. "I mean, we almost got attacked by a crazed man with knives yesterday. But I'm still glad we came."

Madeline nodded, kissing Gabe's cheek. "So am I. Let's forget our troubles and go have fun."

"Okay," Gabriel nodded, locking the door behind them. As they walked down the hall together, Madeline took a deep, steadying breath. It was okay, the way things were. They could just be for a while. There was no need to rush.

When they reached the front doors, Madeline couldn't quite restrain the delighted squeal that escaped her when she saw two camels standing just outside the hotel, led by two men holding brightly colored harnesses.

"This is so cool!" Madeline grinned as Gabe helped her up. She noticed that he took the opportunity to admire the view from below so she threw him a coy smile and a wink. When Gabe was seated on his own camel, they began their journey toward the Manial Palace.

"What do you think?" Gabe asked, grinning over his shoulder as the camels undulated along the streets. Madeline giggled as her camel made a particularly big lurch, nearly throwing her sunglasses off her face.

"This is hilarious!" she squealed delightedly. "I don't know how people could stand to do this on a regular basis though."

Gabe laughed, snapping a picture of her over his shoulder. "I think that's definitely a keeper."

When they reached the palace, their hands automatically found each other as they explored the elaborately decorated building.

"Look at these mosaics!" Madeline exclaimed, pulling her hand free from Gabriel's so that she could get a closer look. "There's so much history here and they're so detailed! I love studying mosaics like these in class. It's amazing what you can create with patterns."

Gabe smiled, studying the wall with her. "I know what you mean. That would make a really cool design for a fabric, don't you think?"

"Always the fashion expert," Madeline teased, elbowing him playfully. "But I think you're right. Maybe a tea length dress? Or else something long and fluttery."

Nodding, Gabriel chuckled. "I should hire you as my consultant. You have a natural flair for this."

"Well, I'm an artist at heart," Madeline smiled. "What you do is a form of art."

Gabriel laughed again, elbowing her back. "Does that make you as geeky as me?"

"You're not geeky," Madeline protested with a laugh. "But if you are, that makes me just as geeky, I suppose."

Wrapping an arm around her middle, Gabe drew her close to him. "I'm glad I found a geek like you."

Madeline's heart fluttered and something stirred inside of her. She wasn't okay just being what they were right now. She wanted more. The realization made her uncomfortable and she took a step away.

"Come on," she smiled even though she knew that it was probably tight and pinched. "Let's go see some more."


	21. Chapter 21

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

And not only did it scare him that he could feel this almost as if it were his own emotion, but it scared him because he didn't want to lose her. He didn't want to lose Madeline.

Gabriel kicked himself as he walked side by side with Madeline through Tahrir Square, noticing that she put a little distance between them and if she ever accidentally brushed against him, she'd crawl back into whatever shell she came from. Had he done something wrong? Maybe things between them went too fast. It wasn't like him to move fast, not at all. It was just that when the two of them were together, something between them ignited and each of them were powerless to stop it. But now…

He frowned as he glanced over at Madeline out of the corner of his eye. But now she hardly even spoke to him, let alone looked at him. There had to be something he could do to fix this… But what?

Not able to stand the tension in the air any longer, Gabriel stopped in his tracks and forced Madeline to look at him. The pain in her eyes showed him the truth.

"What have I done?" Gabriel asked huskily. "Why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset," she defended, but even then, tears started forming in her eyes. For someone who said that she wasn't normally emotional, Gabriel didn't believe an ounce of it.

"But you are! I can…" He didn't know how to even explain how he could feel what she was feeling right now. It didn't make sense to him either. But he assumed that it had something to do with the butterfly brooch he wore underneath his shirt, hidden so it didn't clash with the outfit he wore today. "I can feel it. You seemed fine yesterday. But today…" He took a deep breath. "What have I done, Madeline?"

Madeline shook her head and wiped away the tears that started falling down her cheeks. "Nothing. Gabe, you've done nothing wrong. I just… It's me. I can't do this. I've been alone all my life. I can't...I can't be with you."

Gabriel swallowed hard as the truth came out. He was going to lose her…

"D-D-Don't say that," he whispered huskily, reaching out to soothe her hair down, but she dodged out of reach. "Mads… You don't have to be alone all your life."

"I come from nothing, Gabe!" Madeline cried, furiously swiping at the tears that cascaded from her eyes like a mini waterfall. "You're rich and I'm poor. You have a name in society and people have no idea who I am. We're from completely different worlds. I can't...I can't do this. I'm sorry."

She started to turn away from him but he caught onto her wrist, not willing to let her go so easily, especially now that he found something good.

His stammer broke out as he tried to convey his feelings to her, at least once. She had to know, even if it didn't change anything. "I-I-I don't c-care about any of that. I-I-I love y-you."

Madeline froze as if she were a statue, but then all of a sudden, the waterworks came faster and harder as she sobbed, wrenching her wrist out of his grip and darting away from him. More than anything, he wanted to chase after her, to hold her and tell her everything would be okay, but he just didn't know how.

So he watched her go with a heavy heart and stood there like an idiot long after she had disappeared. He didn't know why he ever got his hopes up. After all, Madeline was incredible, and he felt as if he just didn't measure up. Just the thought made his heart ache.

Gabriel headed back to the hotel as the sun started setting, casting a warm glow against the large pyramids in the distance. The sight was beautiful, but he just couldn't appreciate it. Not this time.

"Mr. Agreste," the person at the front desk said with a smile as Gabriel approached. "What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to check to see if any spare rooms have opened up since I asked last time."

Smiling, the man clicked a few times on his computer and turned back to Gabriel. "You're in luck. Several people left the conference early, so we have an open room. It's down the hallway from your old room." Several more moments passed as he clicked a few more times before handing him another room key. "If you need anything else, Mr. Agreste, don't hesitate to ask."

When Gabriel started to turn away, the man at the front desk called out to him, "Oh! I almost forgot. We're hosting a masquerade ball tonight and I don't mean to brag… But it really is the social event of the season. I wouldn't miss it if I were you."

Gabriel smiled kindly as he continued to his new room. Somehow, the room felt so much emptier without Madeline, but there wasn't much he could really do.

"I'm sorry about Madeline," Nooroo said softly as she appeared out of what seemed like thin air. "She's a great girl."

"Yeah…" he agreed quietly. Although he wished he could express himself, he and the kwami weren't close. "Nooroo, transform me."

The kwami nodded silently and in a sudden burst, he was Hawk Moth. The rush of power followed him as he leaped off his balcony and into the city. He didn't know where he was going or why, only that he wanted to get away for a little while. As Hawk Moth, he could leave Gabriel Agreste behind for a little while.

A surge of emotion hit him like a brick wall, except it wasn't his own emotion. It was the type of strong emotion that made him feel as if he could akumatize a person for days on end without them even trying to fight back against his power. Unfortunately, as he reached out with his power to see what was going on, he withdrew his power just as fast as if the invisible contact had burned him. He recognized this person…

Very quietly, Hawk Moth crept forward until he could see the person with his own eyes, a pit forming in his stomach at the sight.

Night Wing sat on the edge of the building with her legs dangling over the side, her head in her hands as she sobbed. Gabriel almost expected her tears to turn into diamonds—after all, her tears were more precious than these priceless gems.

"Hey," he said softly as he approached, and although Night Wing's sobbing stopped, her tears didn't.

"How did you find me?" Night Wing choked, wiping her eyes again and again but thankfully, she didn't move as he came to sit beside her on the ledge.

Gabriel shrugged and glanced over at her with concern. Pointing at his heart, he replied, "I could feel your pain. Hawk Moth takes empathy to a whole new level."

She nodded as if this information didn't even phase her. "It's strange what becoming a Miraculous holder will do to you."

Night Wing dabbed at the tears that looked as if they just wouldn't stop coming. Two crying women in the same hour? Gabriel didn't even know how to handle this type of thing. Growing up, his father always told him to suck it up and be a man. But it was completely different with women. It was as if they needed constant emotional release otherwise they'd implode.

"Will you tell me why you're crying?" Hawk Moth asked, and he almost didn't expect her to answer. To his surprise, she opened up to him as if they were long lost friends.

"I'm a stupid idiot, that's why. I'm so afraid to let people in that I push them away. I'm very good at pushing people away. Besides, he could never find out that I'm Night Wing. Our relationship could never be real."

The blood drained out of Gabriel's face as he realized what he just walked in on—relationship issues. He definitely wasn't qualified to handle this type of problem. Besides, he didn't even realize that Night Wing was dating anyone. It made him feel a little more awkward about her kissing him in Paris. Then again, she didn't know that Gabriel was Hawk Moth and although it wouldn't be the worst thing if she found out, he'd probably feel a little embarrassed…

"Why can't you tell him?" Gabriel asked. "If you love him, I'm sure he'd take the news just fine."

"I didn't say I loved him!" Night Wing snapped.

Gabriel couldn't stop the smirk that pulled up on the corners of his mouth. "No, of course you don't love him. You just feel an undying passion and warmth for him along with a lack of trust and uncertainty to follow."

"I hate you. Stop reading my emotions."

"It's part of my charm," he joked, but then he became serious. "Night Wing isn't the only thing you are. Whoever you are behind the mask… She deserves a happy life too."

She hid her face in her hands once more, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Hesitantly, Gabriel put his hand on top of her back to comfort her and to his surprise, she leaned into him until he held her awkwardly against his chest as she cried.

"How do you do it?" Night Wing sniffed after a few minutes. "How do you balance your personal life with your Miraculous life?"

Would she believe him if he told her that he had literally only been Hawk Moth for less than a week?

"I guess it's hard…" he replied hesitantly, thinking of the times he had to keep what he was doing from Madeline. "For me, I don't want the people I'm close to to think I'm crazy…" He just couldn't relate enough to give her good advice, until he thought about how he was Gawain Papillion, the designer, in secret while he was Gabriel Agreste in real life. "And I know that if people found out who I really am, life would never be the same. I'd officially be known as my secret identity and for me, that's a little scary."

Night Wing chuckled and nodded. "I agree completely. I'm glad there's someone out there who understands me. You see why I can't let him in. My life as Night Wing is crazy and dangerous, and I don't want him to get caught up in that. It's better if I just leave that all behind me."

Wait… That's not what he said. Was it?

Gabriel frowned as he realized that was _exactly_ what he said. He was so afraid of people finding out that he was Gawain Papillion and he wasn't planning on letting anyone know. What would they think if they found out that the designer everyone was drooling over was actually a stuttering geek? He almost liked himself better as the designer rather than Gabriel. It was…a happier life.

The next piece of advice he gave to her was something he needed to take for himself, but she didn't need to know that. Not yet.

"You have a secret identity for a reason. It gives you the chance to be human behind the mask. Don't waste that chance."

Now that he felt that she was calmer, he decided that it was time to go so he could deal with his own problems. After all, he was worried about Madeline. He didn't want her to get hurt.

But before he could stand up to leave, Night Wing gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "You're not so bad, Hawk Moth."

Gabriel's face flushed with heat and he had to turn away from her so she couldn't see the fluster she somehow always managed to pull to the surface when he was around her. To be honest, he felt guilty for loving Madeline and liking Night Wing at the same time. But they just had so many of the same qualities that he couldn't help it.

Clearing his throat, he said, "Do you want to go to a masquerade ball with me tonight? It might be a good escape for you, plus you don't need to take off your mask."

Why was his heart beating so loudly in his chest? After all, he was still aching over Madeline not wanting him anymore, but the prospect of spending more time with Night Wing thrilled him. He felt as if he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Surprisingly, Night Wing winked and smiled coyly. "I'll consider it."

He gave her one last smile before leaping out of there. Hopefully he helped make _her_ feel better. However, he wasn't so sure what he could do for Madeline. Perhaps giving her some space was what she needed right now.


	22. Chapter 22

Madeline stopped dead in her tracks when she saw that Gabriel's things were gone from the room when she returned. Had he left her? She shook her head, trying to calm her anxious heart. Gabriel didn't seem like the type that would just up and leave because she was uncertain about what she wanted. It seemed more likely that he had just moved to a different room. She blinked back the tears that sprang to her eyes. It was just as well, right? She needed to sort this out on her own. The problem was with her, not Gabe. So why did she suddenly feel abandoned?

 _Whoever you are behind the mask… She deserves a happy life too._ Hawk Moth's words repeated themselves in her mind again. But what did happy look like to her? Madeline didn't know anymore. She thought she had known before Gabe, but now she knew that definition had changed. So the question was, what new definition would she create?

Slumping down on the bed, Madeline closed her eyes. If she was honest with herself, she felt afraid of getting too close to _anyone_. The memory of the raw aloneness she had felt after her parents had died made her heart ache like it was a fresh loss. She knew it wasn't their fault that they couldn't be there for her anymore, but sometimes she still felt like she had been abandoned—left alone in a harsh world.

"Are you okay, Madeline?" Duusu asked softly, startling her out of her thoughts. Her kwami was so quiet and shy, sometimes Madeline forgot she was there.

"Not really," she sighed. "I don't know what to do about Gabe."

Seeing Duusu reminded her of another aspect of her life that made it so she and Gabriel couldn't be together. Her life behind the mask of Night Wing. She got herself into danger every day and she didn't want to subject Gabe to that. She loved him too much. It would be selfish to continue a relationship with him when there was always the possibility that he could get hurt because of her. She could never let that happen.

"You love him, don't you?" Duusu asked, coming to rest on her shoulder. Madeline nodded, blinking hard. But the tears still trailed silently down her cheeks.

"Yes," she whispered. "But I don't know what to do, Duusu. It won't work."

Her kwami nodded in understanding. "I see. But Madeline, your life hasn't been an easy one. You deserve happiness too."

Hawk Moth's words replayed in Madeline's mind once more.

 _Whoever you are behind the mask… She deserves a happy life too._

"Duusu, we'll never be safe as long as La Panthère is out there," Madeline sighed, burying her face in Gabe's pillow. It still smelled like him, masculine and wonderful. "What happens if he attacks me and Gabriel gets hurt because of it?"

Pushing her fingers through her hair in frustration, Madeline thought of Hawk Moth's invitation to the masquerade. She really wanted to go, but would Gabe be there? Her heart raced at the prospect, but she pushed the feeling away. If she was going to create a new definition of happiness, she needed to do it on her own before she included Gabe in it. _If_ she included him in it, she reminded herself. Her heart felt like it would crumble at the idea, but she needed to be certain, needed to be whole, before she committed herself to someone else. What she needed was time…

"I'm going to do it," she said firmly to her kwami. "I'm going to the masquerade."

Duusu raised her eyebrows at Madeline, but nodded acceptingly as Madeline fished the dress Gabriel had made her out of her backpack. Holding it up to herself, she smiled, maybe a night to take her mind off of her troubles would help her decide what step to take next.

Hurriedly stripping out of her clothes, she let the silky fabric drop like water over her shoulders, hugging her curves perfectly. Her eyes widened as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. How had Gabriel been able to do this just based on their first meeting? It was incredible!

Sitting down at the dressing table, she began weaving her golden tresses like a crown around her head. Duusu helped, holding strands for her while she pinned others into place. Finally, she fastened a pair of gold earrings to her ears and a small gold pendant at her throat.

"Duusu? Can we make only my mask appear?" she questioned, tracing her thumb over her cheeks. She didn't have anything to complete the look and she had no idea where to get a mask at this stage of the game.

Duusu nodded, fluttering forward and touching Madeline's cheek. Immediately, her blue and green mask formed, making her look exotic and exciting.

"Okay," she murmured, taking a steadying breath. "I'm just going to go have fun tonight and not worry. Everything will work out how it's supposed to."

Duusu nodded, tucking herself out of sight in the clutch that Madeline had brought from home to match her jewelry. Slipping on her shoes, Madeline made her way down to the grand ballroom of the hotel, her heart beating erratically.

Stopping at the top of the stairs, she surveyed the crowd a little nervously. Was this crazy? She felt a little stupid. What if Hawk Moth didn't come? This was a mistake. What would Gabe think? Guilt pinched her heart. She didn't want to hurt him. She loved him. Maybe she could just go back...

"Excuse me, m'lady," a deep voice sounded so close behind her that she jumped. Whirling around, she saw Hawk Moth behind her, a wide grin on his face. "Sorry to startle you. But if I remember correctly, you owe me a dance."

Madeline laughed, taking the arm he offered her and letting him lead her down the stairs.

"Only if you promise me a drink afterward. Or three."

Hawk Moth chuckled. "You've got it."


	23. Chapter 23

Sure, the dress he designed looked beautiful on paper and even more beautiful after he created it, but that didn't even do justice to how it stole the limelight from each and every other woman at the masquerade. Night Wing definitely shined the brightest and he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Now more than ever, his feelings felt so confused. He loved Madeline, but why did he feel this way for Night Wing?

"I wasn't sure you'd end up coming," Night Wing said as he led her in a waltz across the dance floor, expertly weaving in and out of other couples. To his surprise, Night Wing kept up very well, not even missing a step.

"Now why would I do that?" he smirked. "A gentleman would never ask a woman to a dance and then bail last minute."

Night Wing bit her lip and glanced away from him. "It's not like it hasn't happened before."

Gabriel easily spun her around and then lowered her in a dip, their faces just inches away from one another. Night Wing's eyes looked so beautiful right then, as if he had just walked into a bright green forest with the sunlight filtering in through the trees. She looked absolutely radiant.

"Then whoever stood you up is not worthy of your time," he replied after a beat, playfully tapping her chin as a way of telling her to chin up. "If they saw you tonight...they'd certainly regret that they ever blew their chance."

A shy smile pulled up on Night Wing's mouth but it was gone as quickly as it had come, almost as if she felt uncomfortable that he saw something other than her constant confident demeanor. After all, he _did_ see her bawl her eyes out…

"What was that?" Gabriel asked with a teasing glint in his eye.

"I-I didn't say anything."

His grin widened, especially as her cheeks became rosy when she seemed to understand why he said that. He had felt a small patter of happiness coming from her, but she tried to hide it just as quickly. "I think you like me, Night Wing."

"I think we're done here," she said in annoyance as she turned to leave, but he caught her around the waist and pulled her back to him, holding her close in a way that prevented her escape.

"Sorry, I won't read your emotions anymore. Well, at least I won't tell you I'm doing it."

A flicker of amusement shone in her eyes at their playful banter. "Do you always find enjoyment in embarrassing women with their own emotions?"

Gabriel shrugged and spun her around again before holding her closer than he probably should. There was no need for him to feel guilty. After all, Madeline needed space and the two of them weren't technically together. He could indulge in this little moment for a little while.

"I couldn't really say… I've only ever read yours." And Madeline's, but he'd rather not dwell on that horribly sad moment.

Night Wing looked surprised as she arched her delicate eyebrows. "Only mine? Does that make me special?"

He grinned. "I'd like to think so."

They continued dancing in silence as Night Wing seemed to be at a loss for words in that moment. Gabriel couldn't lie… He really liked the confidence that being behind a mask gave him. It was something he never really had the luxury of having, especially in the life he led back in Paris.

"Can I ask you a question?" she started hesitantly, finally looking him in the eye again. "Why are you in Egypt? I honestly thought that you and La Panthère were on the same team when I first met you. But if that's not the case, then why?"

"Discovery," he answered. "Did you know that a lot of the Miraculous origins are centered around Egypt? I know there has to be more to learn here, things you can't learn in a museum or even in books. There is so much information that hasn't even been scratched and the more years that go by, the more that gets lost. I want to uncover everything that has been lost, to learn things that Miraculous holders like us can't even begin to comprehend."

She hesitated again as she pondered his words. "Does Master Fu know? Did he send you?"

Now it was his turn to stare blankly back at her. "Master Fu? Is he someone I should know?"

Night Wing laughed, her hand flirtatiously brushing his ear in a way that made him feel flustered. "You two should _probably_ get acquainted, seeing that he's the protector of the Miraculouses. But if he didn't give you your Miraculous, then who did?"

"I found it. But are we going to keep talking about this? I thought the point of this masquerade was to take a step back from all this."

Letting out a sigh, she nodded. "Right. Anyway, you're definitely an amazing dancer, Hawk Moth. I can't say that I'm not impressed."

He smiled at the compliment and feared that he would stutter if he spoke, so he said nothing as he waltzed them across the room and into the corner where they could each enjoy a glass of champagne. Night Wing took her glass delicately between her fingers as if she were holding a butterfly and the thought made him smile.

Gabriel sighed as he glanced toward the stairs as if hoping to see Madeline come down them at any moment. He hadn't seen her since the incident and he felt worried. Was she alright? Was she in danger? Did she get back safely?

"Looking for someone?" Night Wing asked, gazing carefully at him over the rim of her champagne glass.

"I'm just worried about someone," he replied quietly. "But like I said before, we came here to step away from our worries. Another drink? I did promise you a few."

Night Wing laughed and handed him her empty champagne glass. "Maybe something a little stronger this time."

"Coming right up," Gabriel replied with a wink, making his way to the bar. When he returned, he handed her a cocktail which she held to her nose uncertainly. "Don't ask what's in it."

"What's in it?" she asked anyway and when he scowled, she raised her eyebrows at him. "What? Can't be too cautious with someone who could control this entire room if he wanted to."

Gabriel shrugged. "Not possible. I can only control people who are feeling a strong emotion. Sure, everyone is mostly excited here, but excitement isn't a strong enough emotion. Neither are most forms of happiness. Anger… Sadness… Fear… Heartbreak… Unfortunately, it's the negative emotions that make it easiest to control someone."

"That's why you could control La Panthère," she stated, finally taking a sip of her drink. "He felt anger toward me."

"Right. But next time, we need to be on our guard because I don't think it will be as easy. Plus, I really don't want him to attack me again. That hurt."

His fingers subconsciously grazed the side of his head where La Panthère had struck him.

"So that's how this happened…" Night Wing mused, touching his hair gently. "You're not much of a fighter, are you?"

"Me?" He couldn't help but laugh that she'd even suggest such a thing. If she truly knew the geek he was, she might not have asked that in the first place. "Nope, definitely not a fighter. But one thing I _do_ have is a great imagination. I've discovered that I'm not only able to akumatize my victims, but I can give them unique abilities. I'll have to show you sometime. It's really cool."

Night Wing gazed back at him for several long seconds before speaking. "There's a lot that I don't know about you, Hawk Moth. You just showed up out of nowhere."

Gabriel slyly wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, noting that she didn't pull away. In fact, from the emotions radiating off her, he could tell that she actually liked being near him. But one thing she didn't understand was that he didn't want to play the same game as her. This guessing game bored him. Secrets and more secrets… Superheros… Fighting the bad guys… It just wasn't his scene.

He took her by the hand and turned her in a full circle, admiring the way her dress spun with her. It really did compliment her if he did say so himself.

"It should be me who is wondering why _you_ showed up out of nowhere," Gabriel said, still taking in her dress. "I assumed you might be following me. But I am flattered that you wore the dress."

Immediately, Night Wing's eyebrows furrowed together as she took a step away from him. "What are you talking about?"

"I didn't choose my Miraculous name," he said as he gave her a wide grin. "But I did choose my other name, and I can't help but notice the striking similarity. Did you know that Gawain Papillion means white hawk butterfly? That's as close to Hawk Moth as one could get."

Night Wing's stunned reaction said it all, and although he had expected astonishment to a certain degree, he certainly hadn't counted on her reaction.

In a quick flash, Night Wing slapped him hard across the cheek, leaving a resounding noise long after the slap. It had even been loud enough to draw attention from some of the guests at the masquerade. Gabriel felt shocked, but judging from the look on Night Wing's face, she felt just as shocked, almost as if she couldn't believe her hand just struck him.

She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide as she continued to stare at him as if she hardly even knew him. "Sorry! I'm so sorry, Gabe! You just...you just surprised me."

"I'll say…" Gabriel replied as he rubbed his raw cheek. "Is that how you always react when someone surprises you?"

Her eyes were still wide as she stared back at him, almost as if she was trying to connect the dots in her head. Although Gabriel wanted to break the awkward silence that suddenly fell between them, he didn't get the chance as a figure clad in black slithered out of the shadows and wrapped his arms around Night Wing from behind, holding his dangerously sharp claws against her throat.

"Try anything and I'll slit her throat," La Panthère said in a gruff voice, his eyes blazing.

Gabriel's heart pounded faster and faster as he realized that he couldn't do anything. Not without risking Night Wing's life. "If you hurt her, I'll send every single person in Egypt to hunt you down, and believe me when I say that you'll experience pain like you've never experienced it before."

La Panthère smiled wickedly and he started backing slowly into the shadows, his white teeth gleaming as the last thing Gabriel could see. "I look forward to it."


	24. Chapter 24

Madeline wriggled, trying to create some space between herself and the evil looking claws that La Panthère held to her throat.

"Squirm all you want to, little bird," La Panthère chuckled darkly, inching the cold steel closer to her jugular. "It won't do you any good this time."

Squeezing her eyes shut, Madeline jerked her head back hard against La Panthère's. It cracked loudly against his nose, sending blood gushing into her hair and making Madeline see stars. She twisted, breaking his grip and darting out the doors into the courtyard. She heard an angry growl behind her but didn't turn to look. La Panthère was still way too close for comfort.

"Duusu!" she cried, opening her purse. "Help!"

But to her horror, Duusu was gone. Madeline shrieked in pain as a loud ripping sound filled the night. La Panthère had managed to get ahold of her by the back of her dress, shredding the delicate fabric and cutting the skin of her back. She fell forward as La Panthère pounced.

"Looking for something?" he gloated, holding up her kwami in his clenched fist. "Not a very good hiding place, darling."

Madeline gasped, fighting down a scream as La Panthère ground his heel into her back. Little black spots raced across her vision for a moment before the weight was suddenly lifted.

"Leave her alone!" Gabriel's voice was more menacing than Madeline had ever heard it, sending a chill racing up her spine. She rolled over onto her back with a groan, touching the place where La Panthère's claws had cut her. Her palm came away red, causing her to sway on the spot.

"Run, Night Wing!" Gabe ordered. "My hold on him isn't that strong!"  
Madeline shook her head. She couldn't leave Gabe here to fight La Panthère by himself, she couldn't!

"Get him to release Duusu," she gasped, trying to keep a clear head even as her vision swam. She could do this. She had to.

Gabriel turned his concentration on La Panthère and ground out the command. "Release the kwami."

"I won't!" La Panthère roared, even as Gabe's hold on him tightened so visibly that Madeline could see every muscle of his body straining against Hawk Moth's power.

"Do it," Gabriel hissed menacingly. "Or I'll make sure you regret it."

La Panthère obeyed at last and Duusu flew across the courtyard to Madeline, helping her transform. Madeline staggered but managed to stay upright. Her powers wouldn't last long in this condition. It was all she could do using them to help her stay conscious. She withdrew her fans, circling slowly but cautiously toward La Panthère.

"Well, at least this way I can get rid of two Miraculouses," La Panthère snarled. "I tried everything I could to lure you to me, little peacock. All those burglaries and murders... I hoped that you would catch me so I could destroy you."

Gabriel's face was taut with concentration as La Panthère struggled to free himself from the hold Hawk Moth's powers had on him. Madeline stood nearby, poised for the fight she knew was coming as La Panthère continued.

"But now I get two Miraculouses and all I had to do was threaten you to get this one to come running," La Panthère jerked his head at Gabe. "Love makes you weak."

"You're wrong," Madeline shook her head as the last of Gabriel's hold fizzled out. "It's what makes us strong."

Launching herself into the air just as La Panthère lunged, she backflipped through the air and landed in front of Gabe. A hiss of pain escaped her lungs as her feet hit the ground, but she managed to stay upright.

"Are you alright?" Gabe asked as La Panthère spun around, drawing a lethal looking knife.

Madeline sucked in a breath and nodded. "I'm fine."

La Panthère lunged again, but Madeline managed to block his strike with her fan, letting the blade go through the fabric and closing it so she could twist the blade away from her and Gabe. Wrenching with all her might, she managed to pull the blade out of his hand and fling it across the courtyard. The fan knitted itself back together and Madeline folded it up.

"Try and slow him down with your powers," Madeline ordered Gabe, swaying again. "I can't hold him much longer."

Gabe nodded, a black and purple butterfly leaving his palm and landing on La Panthère. The huge man shuddered as the effects took hold and Madeline darted toward him, hoping to subdue him so that they could tie him up. Anything to stop the attacks.

But she was too slow, La Panthère broke the hold and even though Gabe tried again, he couldn't contain him.

"He's not angry enough," Gabe muttered, scanning the courtyard with a critical eye. He seemed to be looking for something, anything, to give them help. La Panthère struck again, this time managing to separate them and knock both of them to the ground. Madeline rolled onto her already screaming back and when La Panthère lunged, she used her feet to kick him away back toward the hotel.

"He's happy. He thinks he's going to win," Gabriel said, dashing over to help her up. He had a big scrape on his forehead, but seemed otherwise uninjured.

Madeline ground her teeth together. "Not on my watch. Come on."

She pulled Gabriel over to the wall, preparing to fly over it. But when she tried, her powers failed her and they both smacked hard into the wall on the way down.

"I can't," she gasped, her back burning in pain. She felt true fear now, her eyes brimming with tears. "I can't...I can't."

"Yes, you can," Gabriel said firmly, pulling her to her feet. "You just need to believe you can."  
Madeline blinked at him in confusion, feeling herself weaken by the moment. Gabriel's gray eyes found hers.

"Do you trust me?"

She stared into those beautiful eyes, eyes that she loved so much and nodded. "I do."

Gabriel cupped his hands together and produced a single black and purple butterfly. Before Madeline even really registered what was going on, she felt a wonderful sense of lightness take her over. Madeline knew what Gabriel had done, but she didn't waste time being surprised.

"Now!" Gabriel cried. It was as though their minds had become one. Drawing her fans, she ran toward Gabriel, using his cupped hands to launch herself into the air. Flipping over La Panthère, she landed gracefully, grabbing the knife she had flung away from him out of the grass. However, even with Gabriel's power, it still wasn't enough—La Panthère was still too fast for her. It felt as if time slowed as La Panthère's evil grin widened, knowing that he won as he threw a hidden knife from his shirt, and all Madeline could do was watch in horror as it came closer and closer and closer…

But then with no words uttered, Gabriel told her to turn at that moment and Madeline spun just in time to dodge the knife that her enemy threw and plunge the knife she had picked up into La Panthère's stomach.

At that moment, Gabriel's hold over her ended and she stared with horror at La Panthère. She had never killed anyone before and La Panthère's blank, staring eyes filled her with shock.

She didn't hear Gabe come up behind her as she crumpled under La Panthère's weight. Now that Gabriel's akuma hold was gone, she could barely stand. Black spots raced across her vision. The last thing she remembered was clutching Gabe's hand tightly as her detransformation began before everything faded to black.


	25. Chapter 25

Gabriel's jaw became slack as he stared back at Madeline Masson as Night Wing's transformation disappeared, and he felt a mixture of emotions ranging from embarrassment to shock to more embarrassment to surprise, at least until he realized that she needed medical help. Her health came first and foremost, and he could decide how to feel later.

Scooping Madeline's limp body into his arms, he leaped out of there quickly, wanting to cover as much distance as he could before his timer ran out, which judging from the beeping sound coming from his staff, he only had approximately five minutes left.

"You can't do that!" Madeline's kwami cried as she clung tightly to the bloodied dress. "The police are already on their way. They'll be able to put two and two together if you take her to the hospital."

"So?" he growled, hearing another beep as his staff threatened that his time was nearly up. "Look at her! She's hurt. I can't let her suffer."

The kwami shook her head. "She loves being Night Wing! She'll never forgive you if you take that away from her."

A low, indecisive growl escaped his throat as he glanced back and forth between the hospital and their hotel. In the end, he turned toward the hotel and cursed himself for doing it. But if what the kwami said was true… This would have been what she wanted.

Gabriel was able to land on the balcony of Madeline's room before his transformation disappeared. He kicked the doors inward before lying her unconscious form down on the bed, uncaring that her blood soiled the sheets. Although he was no medical expert, he knew that she needed stitches in several different places. At that moment in time, he was glad for the wealth behind the Agreste name, otherwise this would never be possible.

After calling an after-hours doctor, the doctor didn't take long to arrive at all, especially when Gabriel threw down an offer he couldn't refuse.

"This is the patient?" the doctor asked in Arabic, immediately rolling his supplies out on the bed.

"N-N-No, she's just sleeping like that because she wants to."

The doctor gave Gabriel a look and he shut his mouth, realizing that his own nerves weren't helping the situation one bit. But he just felt so helpless… More than anything, he wished there was something he could do, but in the end, all he could do was pace back and forth in the room, never taking his eyes off Madeline or the doctor as he stitched her up and tended to her other injuries. According to the doctor, her body had been exhausted of all her energy reserves and it could take a while for her to gain back her strength.

At long last, the doctor began packing his things up after the bloody mess had been cleaned up and Madeline had been thoroughly treated.

Gabriel thrust a wad of cash into the doctor's hand. "For your silence."

With a nod, the doctor left the hotel room, leaving Gabriel alone with the two worried kwamis and Madeline's still form. He watched her breathe for a few minutes, making sure she was still alive and okay.

He couldn't believe it.

All this time, Madeline had been Night Wing. So that explained why Night Wing kissed him that first time. And that also explained why he had feelings for both of them—because they were the same person. He felt like such an idiot…

Gabriel buried his face in his hands as he remembered all of their interactions together. He remembered how after Madeline ran away crying earlier that day, he found Night Wing crying too and comforted her. Of all the times when he went behind Madeline's back as he unraveled the mystery of the Miraculouses. But one of the worst was probably at the masquerade where he started flirting hard core with Night Wing.

It was official. He wanted to die.

"She'll be alright," Madeline's kwami said, gently touching Gabriel's face. "I can feel it."

"That's good to know," he muttered under his breath before raising his head. "What do you eat, kwami? Do you need some watermelon?"

Nooroo giggled as she flitted about the room. "I'm the one who eats watermelon. Duusu eats Jolly Ranchers."

"Are you serious?" Gabriel asked while scratching his head in puzzlement. "We're in the middle of Egypt. Where am I going to find that?"

Duusu flitted over to Madeline's backpack and pulled out her purse, but when she flipped it upside down, all that came out were empty Jolly Rancher wrappers. It was spontaneous. The moment Duusu saw that she had no Jolly Ranchers left, she burst into loud, sobbing tears that soaked the hotel bedspread.

"I'm going to starve!" Duusu gasped, clutching at her throat. "I'm so hungry!"

"Shh…" Gabriel said, looking frantically around the room as he pulled out drawers and rummaged through Madeline's things, but he couldn't find any candy whatsoever. It was as if he were trying to console a screaming baby all while looking for a lost toy.

"I'm going to shrivel up and die!" The kwami started to cry even harder, and heaven knew how Madeline could _possibly_ sleep through this racket.

"Okay, what about some other candy? I'm sure they have something down at the front desk."

The kwami shook her head, spraying her large crocodile tears all over him as she did so. "It has to be Jolly Ranchers!"

Gabriel huffed and straightened his tie. "You're thousands of years old! What did you eat back in the day when Jolly Ranchers hadn't been invented yet?"

Except the kwami didn't answer. Instead, she buried herself underneath a pillow and continued crying. Great. He didn't do emotional very well.

"Alright, alright," Gabriel said as he grabbed his wallet off the table. "But if she wakes up, you need to tell her I'll be right back."

He stopped beside Madeline and ran his fingers gently through her hair, smiling down at her. Despite not knowing where the two of them stood, Gabriel still stooped down and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Try not to get into anymore trouble while I'm gone," he whispered, and with that, he took his leave.

Unsurprisingly, he couldn't find Jolly Ranchers _anywhere_. He checked the hotel lobby, he checked the convenience store, and he even had to take a midnight bus to the bulk foods store before he found what he was looking for. Sure, the bucket might have been five pounds worth of Jolly Ranchers, but if it got the kwami to stop crying, it was worth it.

On the bus ride back to the hotel, he got plenty of strange looks from carrying a large bucket of Jolly Ranchers and nothing else.

"I-I-It's for my pregnant wife," Gabriel lied, and only then did he receive understanding nods.

An old man began to chuckle in the seat across from him. "One of those midnight runs? I remember when my wife was pregnant for the first time. She constantly craved chicken sandwiches from a specific deli. She didn't seem to understand that the deli was closed after nine, and to this day, she still doesn't know that I got the sandwiches from the dumpster."

Gabriel tried to hide his grimace but was halfway unsuccessful. Thankfully, the bus stopped near the hotel not soon after that. If this bucket didn't make that small blue kwami happy, he didn't know what would.


	26. Chapter 26

Bloody hell, it hurt being dead. Madeline groaned, feeling as though flames licked her back as she moved. Uh oh…

Her eyes flew open and she took a deep, steadying breath as she registered that she was in the hotel room and not burning in hell. She tried to sit up, but the pain was too much and tears sprang quickly to her eyes. Well okay, maybe it was a version of hell…

"Oh good," a voice startled her and she lashed out without thinking, punching a face she realized a split second too late was Gabriel's.

"Ow!" Gabriel yelped, holding his nose. Madeline struggled into a sitting position, guilt tugging on her heart as she tried to help Gabriel.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else!"

Gabriel groaned, tipping his head back. "Who else could it have been?"

"I don't know," Madeline said sheepishly, handing him a tissue. "It was a reflex."

"Is that your default setting?" Gabe asked, giving her an annoyed look over top of the tissue. "Do you just punch people in the face willy-nilly?"

It took Madeline a moment to realize he was teasing. Tucking back a smile, she replied, "Should've smacked you harder."

Shifting her position, a pained gasp whooshed involuntarily out of her before she could stop it. In an instant, Gabriel was at her side, helping her to lie back down, his brows knit with worry.

"Okay, easy," he murmured soothingly, helping her down onto the bed. "I found you an ice pack and some painkillers if you want them."

Madeline nodded, squeezing her eyes shut so she wouldn't cry. "Yes, please."

Gabe got up and filled a glass of water from the pitcher on the table and shook two pills into his palm before coming back over to the bed. The moment the ice touched her skin was sweet, sweet relief and Madeline gave a little sigh before swallowing the pills.

"That's better," she mumbled, trying to ignore the dull throbbing in her back. It was better than the searing pain anyway. "Thanks."

"Are you okay?" Gabe asked, smoothing her hair gently once before seeming to hold himself back. He grimaced and sat across from her so she didn't have to crane her neck.

"I've been better," Madeline replied. "I could really go for a stiff drink right about now."

Gabe laughed, shaking his head. "Not on those painkillers you won't. I'll owe you one when you get better."

"Damn," Madeline's lips twitched. "Can't blame a girl for trying, I guess."

She looked up at Gabriel for a long moment, memorizing every line of his face. She loved him so much, her heart felt as though it might burst. Gently, she brushed her fingers along his bruised hairline.

"I really need to teach you how to throw a decent punch. Or at least block one."

At that moment, she noticed a large bucket of Jolly Ranchers in a sunlit corner of the room where both kwamis snoozed soundly.

"Where did that bucket come from?"

"I had a craving last night," Gabe grinned sheepishly, running his hand over the back of his neck. With a chuckle, he looked down at his hands, studying them for so long, Madeline had to wonder what he found so interesting. Madeline slid one of her hands in his and gave it a squeeze to bring him out of his thoughts. When he looked at her again, she read the truth in his eyes.

"So, I'm guessing you know _my_ secret now," she surmised with a wan smile. "Since I'm sitting here bandaged up with painkillers, I'm assuming you got me some help."

Swallowing hard, Gabriel nodded. "I-I...no one else knows you're Night Wing. The only other person is where he can't hurt you anymore."

Madeline stared at him. Whatever happened was a blur to her. First the pain and then Gabriel had used his powers on her, she didn't remember much of anything. Her stomach knotted unpleasantly, but she wasn't sure why.

"What happened to La Panthère?" she asked softly, something inside her dreading the answer. Gabe looked at her with sorrowful eyes.

"It all happened so fast," he said quietly. "If I hadn't told you to turn around, he would have killed you."

A flash of memory burst through Madeline's mind. The knife...La Panthère's vacant eyes...

"I killed him," Madeline's voice came out strangled. "I-I killed him?"

"I-I'm sorry," Gabe mumbled. "This whole thing is my fault. I didn't want him to kill you and I didn't know what else to do."

Madeline felt her whole world tip on its axis. She had killed someone. No, she had killed someone under the influence of Hawk Moth's powers. Somehow, that made it worse. She wasn't sure what would have happened otherwise, but she knew the choice hadn't been hers to make the moment that blade had pierced La Panthère's stomach.

Hot tears trickled down her cheeks and Madeline buried her face in her pillow, letting sobs wrack her body. She didn't know how to feel, how to be, with this knowledge inside her. It hurt knowing that Gabriel had forced her to do that, even though he had been protecting her. She _killed_ him. Madeline couldn't believe it. She was still in shock from it all.

"Madeline…" Gabe began slowly, uncertainly touching her heaving shoulder, but Madeline shrugged him off, biting her lip to fend off the pain.

"Just go away," she sobbed. "Just go away. I need to be alone right now."

She didn't hear Gabe get up but she heard the door shut behind him. She let herself go completely as soon as she knew he was gone, crying until the painkillers pulled her under and sleep claimed her.

Madeline woke in the middle of the night with a start. She was frightened and completely alone, even Duusu was gone. Where was she? Madeline shivered as the weight of her memories crashed into her again. She felt awful, not just physically, everything felt wrong. Something black and ugly had twisted itself up inside her and she couldn't get it out. If she was honest, she was afraid to even get close enough to examine it. All she knew was that she hurt and that guilt for killing someone, even La Panthère, ate at her. Her heart pinched painfully as the pain of what she had done threatened to overwhelm her. She could never take that back. But would she, even if she could? It was all such a mess, she couldn't sort through it right now. Turning on the lights, she curled herself into a ball on the bed and hugged her knees, resting her head against her legs. She needed someone to talk to. No, she needed Gabe. But she was so afraid, afraid of the unforgivable thing she had done. Afraid of the power that had made her do it.

Madeline wasn't sure how long she sat like that until finally she decided to get up and try to find Gabriel. She had no idea where she was going, but maybe the desk clerk would be able to tell her.

Wincing as she pulled on her bathrobe, she slipped her room key into her pocket and started down the long hallway alone.


	27. Chapter 27

Sleep had been hard to come by that night. Every time Gabriel closed his eyes, he saw Madeline's tear-stricken face and it pained him to no end. So he spent most of the night occupying himself with studying the stars and doing his best to keep his mind off his problems. The stars had always helped him with that all his life.

A quiet knock sounded at his door, startling him out of his thoughts. At first, he thought it had been his imagination. But then he heard the tentative knock again. Who would be knocking at his door at five a.m.? It certainly wasn't Madeline.

Gabriel opened the door and his eyebrows shot through the roof. "M-M-Madeline."

She hugged her arms tighter to her chest. "Can I come in?"

He nodded and held the door open, afraid that his voice might fail him if he even tried to speak. Scenarios kept running through his mind about why she was here, but then it hit him.

Duusu.

"I-umm... Your kwami is out on the b-balcony with Nooroo. Umm… I'll go get her."

When he started to turn, Madeline latched onto his hand and held him back, staring at the ground rather than up at him. "I didn't come for Duusu. I just… I need you right now, Gabe."

He stared back at her in surprise, at least until he started to feel like an idiot for being caught so off guard. So he ushered her to the couch and made her a cup of tea before sitting down next to her, careful to keep his distance. After all, she still looked unsure around him and he didn't blame her one bit.

"L-Look, I'm sorry," Gabriel started, staring down into his lap. "Nothing I can say can f-fix this. You trusted me and I feel like I betrayed your trust. But you just… You didn't feel what he was feeling. La Panthère was going to kill you. I did the only thing I could. I just… I couldn't let you die, Madeline."

Gabriel wanted to reach out and touch her, to console her, but he held back. Just like he thought before, he didn't know where they stood. However, that feeling became even more confused as Madeline wordlessly melted into his arms and her shoulders silently shook as she cried into his chest. He didn't even need his newfound abilities to know how distraught she felt over what happened. Perhaps only time could soften the blow. But no matter how long it took, Gabriel would always be there by her side if she would let him.

It felt like ages before her shoulders stopped shaking and she glanced up at him with red-rimmed eyes. After how much she cried earlier, he didn't think it was possible for her to cry even more, but she proved him wrong.

"What's the real reason you wanted to come to Egypt?" Madeline sniffed, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her robe.

Shrugging sheepishly, Gabriel replied, "Like I told you as Hawk Moth… I came here for discovery. With all the materials I already had, I discovered there was a Miraculous in Egypt and I had to find out for myself. Besides, I wanted to learn more about them and I have. Did you know that one of my ancestors possessed the Hawk Moth Miraculous before hiding it in the pyramids?"

"No, I didn't know that."

"Well, to be fair, I found that one out from Nooroo, but it makes sense, seeing how many things linking to Miraculouses we have in the secret library back home."

Madeline looked at him for several long seconds before smiling tiredly. "You are such a nerd, Gabe."

Heat crept up the backs of Gabriel's ears. "W-W-Well, I-I-I just—"

She stopped his stuttering with a soft kiss on the lips, taking him completely by surprise. "What was that for? I thought you were...upset with me."

"Can I sleep in here with you? I don't really want to be alone tonight."

Gabriel glanced at his watch that read almost six a.m. but shrugged it off. She needed some sleep and quite frankly, so did he. "Why do we have two rooms when you insist on sleeping in my bed?" he chuckled, but nonetheless, he picked her up and carried her to the bed, cuddling close to her when she reached out for him beneath the covers. It felt so nice to be near her, especially after the events of that night. Perhaps a good night's sleep could do them both a little good.

"We can return to Paris tomorrow if that's what you want," Gabriel whispered quietly as to not disturb her as her eyes drifted closed.

Madeline nodded, nuzzling her face into Gabriel's chest. "I never thought I'd say this, but I miss home. I think going back sounds nice." She paused for a few moments and Gabriel thought she fell asleep, at least until she stirred and murmured into his chest, "I love you, Gabe."

Immediately, his heart pounded hard once in his chest as if it suddenly stopped beating. He didn't know what to say or even what to do, except for his eyes to widen in complete surprise. For some reason, he never thought he'd hear those words come out of her mouth. Madeline was everything a man could ever ask for and he felt like she was completely out of his league. Honestly, he didn't know how he ever got so lucky in the first place.

Moving a strand of hair away from her ear, Gabriel gently kissed her earlobe and whispered, "You already know how I feel."

The slightest smile appeared on Madeline's face, even as her eyes remained closed and she nuzzled even closer to him. Despite that night having taken a very wrong turn, it felt as if all the pieces fell nicely together. He'd make sure he was worthy of Madeline's love. Every day of his life, he'd show her just how much she meant to him.

He loved her with all his heart.


	28. Chapter 28

Madeline stared out of the window of the jet as Egypt disappeared beneath the clouds. It had definitely been a trip to remember, that was for sure. She almost didn't want to go home. If they stayed in Egypt, she could pretend a little while longer that she and Gabe could have a life together.

When she had entered his room early that morning, it hadn't been hard to forgive him for what had happened. He looked so vulnerable and sad, her heart had melted on the spot. It still wasn't easy to forget what had happened, but she didn't have to face it alone. Not this time.

"What are you thinking about?" Gabriel asked, stroking her arm gently with his thumb. "You look worried."

Madeline sighed, drawing closer to him. He meant the world to her and it would break her heart to lose him.

"I was just thinking about going home," she sighed again. "I don't want to lose you."

Gabriel frowned, turning so he could look her in the eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Madeline bit her lip. She didn't want to talk about this, she just wanted to savor the time she had left with the only man she could ever really love.

"Come on," he encouraged gently. "You can tell me."

"It's just," Madeline started, her throat suddenly burning as she held back a sob. "When we get home, we go back to our lives. I go back to being a nobody and you go back to being one of the most famous people in Paris. I'm just sad that we're at the end of our relationship."

"Hang on." Gabe held up a hand to stop her rambling. "Back up a few steps. What are you talking about?"

Madeline shook her head. "Gabriel, your family won't like me. I come from nothing. I won't fit in with the people your family associates with."

She wanted to say that the idea made her uncomfortable, but she held herself back. She didn't want Gabe to think that his money made her uncomfortable because that wasn't true. At least not entirely. Being poor was a tender subject for Madeline. She had worked for everything she had and she didn't want anyone to view her as a charity case, especially not Gabriel's family.

"They don't even know you," Gabe replied. "Trust me, when they meet you, they'll love you."

"I just don't want you to be embarrassed by me," she whispered, letting the truth slip before she thought. Gabriel's eyebrows shot up so high, they were in danger of disappearing into his hairline.

"Why would I be embarrassed because of you?"

Madeline looked down, but Gabriel tipped her chin up so she looked him in the eye once more.

"I literally have _nothing_ , Gabe," she mumbled hoarsely. "I can barely afford to make rent each month."

Gabe used his thumb to gently push away the crease that had formed between her brows, stopping her words with a kiss.

"You act like that bothers me, but it doesn't," he smiled softly. "It doesn't. That's one of the things I love about you, you're not into money."

Madeline's lips quirked up slightly as she said, "Well, I am into it a little. I _would_ like to finish school and travel."

"Yeah, but that's different," Gabe smiled. "You're not like the other girls I know, the kind my parents want me to be with. Trust me, I want my parents to love you like I do."

He paused for a moment, wrinkling his nose as if replaying what he had just said.

"Well okay, not _exactly_ like I do. Please?"

Madeline laughed, her heart lightening. She loved Gabe, she wanted to give this thing between them a chance.

"Well okay," she said coyly. "But first, I'll love you like I do in that black thing that you like."

Gabe grinned mischievously, glancing around for any of the staff before picking her up and carrying her into the bathroom.

"I don't think I can wait that long," he chuckled, setting her down on the edge of the sink. Madeline wrapped her legs around him as he kissed her jaw just below her ear, drawing a sigh from Madeline's lips. She didn't care what anyone else thought in that moment. All she cared about was that Gabriel loved her as much as she loved him.

When the airplane touched down in Paris, Gabe pulled Madeline in for a kiss that left her weak in the knees.

"I don't want to go home yet," he confessed. "Do you want to go get some gelato with me?"

Madeline smiled, taking his hand and pulling him toward the terminal. "Sure. I know the perfect place."

Gabriel had called the family butler to come get them and loaded the luggage for them into the trunk. As they drove through the busy streets, Madeline had him pull over just across the river from Notre Dame.

"Let's walk from here," she said, pulling Gabe from the car. "It's a beautiful day and I want to spend as much time as I can with you."

Gabriel laughed, shaking his head wryly. "I still can't believe a gorgeous girl like you wants to spend time with a nerd like me."

"Yes, but you're a very cute nerd," Madeline teased, pulling him in for a kiss. "And I love that about you."

They walked along the cobbled street toward Notre Dame hand in hand. Madeline nudged Gabe playfully, nodding up at the bell tower.

"Remember?"

Gabriel chuckled. "Do I? That was the first time I really got to meet Night Wing. She's pretty amazing."

"Should I be jealous?" Madeline teased him playfully. Gabe laughed and shook his head.

"No, because with or without the mask, you're amazing," he murmured, leaning close to her ear and brushing it with a kiss. Madeline closed her eyes, savoring the contact. She could get lost in Gabe's kisses all day long.

"You could do a lot of good, you know," Madeline said softly when they pulled apart. "There are a lot of people out there who need help."

Gabe frowned, shuffling his feet. "You belong out there. Saving the world. I'm just—I'm just not that guy."

Madeline stood up on tiptoes and brushed a gentle kiss across his lips. "Gabe, how many times do you have to be a hero to realize that you _are_ that guy?"

She let the subject drop then, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze as they walked. They ordered gelato at a creamery just across the Seine from the cathedral and sat on the banks of the river, dangling their feet in the water and enjoying the ice cream.

"I could get used to this," Gabriel said, taking an enormous lick of his gelato. Madeline chuckled as some dripped onto his chin, quickly kissing it off.

"Get used to what?"

"Spending all my time with you," he grinned. "I don't remember ever being this happy."

"Me neither," Madeline confessed, swirling her tongue around the cone so that the gelato curled at the top. "Are you sure your parents will be okay with us dating?"

Gabe shrugged, casting her a sideways glance. "They're going to have to be, because there's no way in hell I'm letting you go."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Madeline chuckled. "Especially after I do this."

Madeline flicked a little water at Gabriel with her foot. He splashed back and before long, they were in a full blown water fight that lasted for a several minutes before they wound up kissing once more on the banks of the river. Madeline smiled into a particularly long kiss. Gabe was right, she could definitely get used to this.


	29. Chapter 29

To say he felt nervous was the understatement of the century. It was the day he finally planned to bring Madeline home to meet his parents, but after he left for Egypt on a whim after practically dumping the woman his parents had wanted him to marry for years only to run off with another woman, his parents still hadn't forgiven him. Actually, they were downright furious.

Tension lingered in the Agreste manor as Gabriel led Madeline inside by the hand, tentatively glancing around. Thankfully, his parents weren't in sight despite the servants bustling about. Great… His parents were putting on a show just to try and make Madeline feel uncomfortable, as if she didn't belong in this world.

"I don't know about this…" Madeline said hesitantly as she lingered near the doorway. "I'm not so sure I should have come."

"Madeline…" Gabriel said softly, pressing his forehead to hers. "Don't you love me?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then please try. I can't bear the thought of a life without you. This is the only way."

She let out a deep breath, but even then, he could see the uncertainty and fear in her eyes. "They're going to hate me. I already know it. I might as well flee the country at this point. Honestly, I don't fit in here. This kind of life… It isn't for me. I'm not good enough for it."

Gabriel gave her fingers a squeeze for reassurance, but even that didn't seem to make a difference. She almost looked as terrified as she did that night they defeated La Panthère. "Don't sell yourself short. After all, you're the hero of Paris. I don't think there's anyone who could ever compare to you."

Madeline giggled. "Except nobody can ever know that. I think I'm at a disadvantage here."

He lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Not at all."

One of the servants cleared his throat, interrupting their little moment. "If I may, sir… Your parents are waiting for you in the dining room."

Giving Madeline one last reassuring smile, he took her hand and led her into the next room where his parents both sat at the table, eyeing Madeline suspiciously. Even Madeline seemed to shrink a little under their gaze. Unfortunately, his father didn't even stand in Madeline's presence, immediately making his dislike of her known. Crap.

"So this is the woman you traded your bright future for," John said icily.

"Not now, John," Bridget said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "They haven't even sat down yet."

Gabriel's lips pressed tightly together, but still he said nothing as he and Madeline awkwardly took a seat across from his parents. The moment they sat down, Bridget made her contempt all too known, just as if Madeline wasn't even in the room.

"Samantha was a good choice, Gabriel," his mother said sternly. "Now you've gone and broken her heart. And for what?" She gestured to Madeline. "It's clear she doesn't come from money. I've never even heard of her family before."

"Mother…" Gabriel grunted under his breath. He knew his parents wouldn't easily accept her, but to do it so openly? "You promised to behave. Can we just enjoy this right now?"

Bridget huffed and took more interest in her food than the company, which was very rare for her. The awkward tension in the room only increased as the seconds wore on. This really was a bad idea, but unfortunately, it couldn't be helped.

"I take it you're a fan of impressionism?" Madeline said to Bridget as she glanced around the room. "Am I mistaken or are these Edgar Degas originals?"

Bridget looked completely taken aback by Madeline's extensive knowledge of art, seeming to regard her in a different light. "Why, yes. They are originals. I'd have to say that Camille Pissarro is my favorite, if I had a choice." She regarded Madeline for a moment in contemplation before finally standing up from her seat. "Come, let me show you _The Artist's Garden at Eragny_. I paid a fortune to get my hands on this, but when it resurfaced at an auction, I just couldn't turn the opportunity down."

Gabriel practically gawked as Madeline followed his mother out of the room. Did that really just happen? One moment Bridget had been cold, and the next, they found a common interest. Could this possibly work out with his parents after all?

He thought it might be possible—at least until his father opened his mouth.

"Son, your mother and I have worked hard to give you the life you have now. But if you're so determined to throw that away for some woman… Be my guest. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in you."

Clenching his jaw, Gabriel stared back at his father. After taking several deep breaths so he wouldn't stutter with anger, he replied, "She's not just some woman. She has a name, father."

"Yes, so does every commoner out there," John replied boredly. "I have half a mind to throw you out on the streets to fend for yourself if you don't end this with her. You've had your fun. Now it's time to focus on what really matters—the family name. You will be our ruin if you do this. Do you understand? Our ruin!"

"Why is this such a big deal to you?! It's not like Samantha was royalty or anything. She was just a spoiled girl who liked to put up a good front. How could that elevate the family name?"

"Don't speak of things you don't understand!" John hissed, slamming his fist down on the table and rattling the silverware in the process. "Samantha has been groomed all her life to be the perfect wife! I can't have a wild... _thing_ let loose in my estate! She'll ruin us! She'll ruin our image!"

Now they were both all roiled up with anger, half standing from their chairs, but they ceased their heated argument when Madeline and his mother circled around the estate to enter the other side of the dining room. "Now Étienne-Jules Marey certainly isn't my favorite," Bridget said as the two women regarded the black and white painting in front of them, "but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to own his work. After all, my collection demanded it, otherwise it would feel as if something were missing."

Both Gabriel and John were seething with anger by the time the women entered the dining room once more, but this was one fight that Gabriel refused to lose. And by the looks of it, his father certainly wasn't used to losing, especially when he had Gabriel under his thumb for his whole life.

Thankfully, one of the servants walked in and cleared his throat, clearly looking uncomfortable about being there in the first place.

"I'm very sorry to interrupt, but there's something on the news you should see."

"It can wait," John growled, making the servant cower.

"A-Are you sure?" he grimaced. "It's about Young Mister Agreste."

Ice crawled up Gabriel's veins, his eyes widening in horror as his father finally relented and took the television remote from the servant. The wall panels gave way to reveal a hidden television that flickered to life at the touch of a button. All Gabriel could do was stare in shock, his jaw falling closer and closer to the floor as he listened to the news reporter.

"The identity of Gawain Papillion has been leaked by a trusted source! Gear up, fashion-lovers, because your very own Gabriel Agreste is the designer you've all been gushing over. Surprised? Well, so were we."

The screen flashed to show a picture of Gabriel just in time for his father's fork to clatter to his plate. Oh no. How could this happen? How did they find out?

But the newscast wasn't over yet. The reporter had more to say.

"Who is this mysterious woman Gabriel Agreste has been seen with? Despite not even knowing her name, she has quite the following already—both from those supporting the secret relationship and those who are drowning in their tears that they didn't catch the eye of the famous designer himself."

The television showed a picture that someone had sneakily taken of him and Madeline playing in the river with big smiles on their faces, caught mid-laugh. Gabriel normally would have stopped to adore the photograph, but he still felt too shocked to even comprehend what he was watching. His whole being froze completely, waiting for the rage that would most certainly come from his father at any moment now.

At long last, the newscast ended and silence filled the room. All eyes were on him.

"You're _the_ Gawain Papillion?" Bridget asked, her eyes wide. "All this time it was my own son?"

"Y-Yes," Gabriel stuttered, but then clamped his mouth shut. Thankfully, his father said nothing about his slip up. "I'm sorry for hiding it. I know you're probably angry with me—"

"Angry?!" John laughed, slamming his palm down on the table. "Never mind that! You've brought positive press to the Agreste name. Maybe you've learned something after all. This has so much potential. I don't even know where to start! First, I'll have to arrange a press conference and then even a fashion show. Oh, and we can—"

He got cut off as the air filled with what sounded like a thousand ringing phones. Gabriel had no doubt about who might be on the other end of those phones. However, being the social butterflies that his parents were, they immediately picked up and started talking jovially to the people on the other line.

"He's amazing, isn't he?" John chuckled as he stood up from the table. "Of course I helped inspire some of his designs. The kid is talented!"

John disappeared from the room and Gabriel felt so hot and red-faced that he needed to get some air. He grabbed Madeline's hand and pulled her out onto the large back patio. For a long few moments, he stared accusingly back at her all while she bit her lip and stared back at him guiltily.

"What did you do, Madeline?"

"I'm sorry, Gabe! I just thought that you didn't deserve to live in the shadows. People should recognize who you are and the amazing things you can do. Your work is beautiful, Gabe. And I knew you'd never tell the world yourself. Now you don't have to hide in the shadows anymore." Madeline covered her face with her hands and peeked between her fingers to look at him. "Are you mad at me?"

Gabriel took her hands and pulled them away from her face, not able to stop the large smile that spread so wide. He kissed her on the nose and tried to unsuccessfully ignore his excitedly pounding heart.

"You're incredible, Mads! What would I ever do without you?"

Madeline let out a relieving laugh and wrapped her arms around Gabriel's neck. "Things will be a lot different now, won't they?"

He thought of how his life would change drastically because of this new revelation, but he couldn't wait to meet the challenge head on. "They certainly will."


	30. Chapter 30

"Your parents really want me to come to dinner with you tonight?" Madeline's eyes widened at the thought. She had gotten along well enough with Bridget, but Gabe's father was a snob and a half.

"Yeah," Gabriel's voice sounded too loud and Madeline realized she had pressed the phone hard into her ear out of nerves. "They really like you."

Madeline let out a derisive snort and Gabriel chuckled.

"Okay fine, my _mom_ likes you. My dad thinks it will be good press for you to be seen with us at Le Cinq."

Groaning, Madeline pressed her fingertips to her forehead, massaging the ache that hadn't gone away since meeting Gabe's parents.

"I don't have anything to wear," she mumbled, almost to herself. Gabriel chuckled again, making her heart skip a beat. She loved that laugh.

"I took care of it," he replied. "Go to your closet. Top shelf."

Madeline obeyed his instructions, opening the closet to find a box, identical to the one Gabe had wrapped her first dress in.

"You made me another one?" Madeline grinned, pulling the ribbon off the box and shoving the lid to the side. Her breath caught in her chest as she saw a gorgeous black dress. The skirt was plain, but the bodice was covered in lace that dipped down to reveal a good amount of cleavage as well as reveal her back through the lace. Simple but elegant.

"I love it!"

"I'm glad," she could hear a smile in Gabe's voice but also a little relief. "You're going to look amazing in it."

Madeline giggled, unable to resist teasing him a little. "Plus a little free advertising since word got out about you being Gawain Papillion."

"You mean since _you_ leaked my identity," Gabriel bantered back. "Although I have to admit, it did cross my mind. I'd have a gorgeous model into the bargain."

Madeline laughed, scooping up the dress and examining it against her shoes. "What time are we going to dinner?"

"I can come get you at seven," Gabe replied, but at that moment, Madeline heard a crash and screams just outside. She ran to the window and peered out, her stomach turning over when she saw a crashed armored truck and a man quickly unloading the jewels out of the back.

"Actually, I think I'll have to meet you there," she replied quickly. "Duty calls."

Ending the call, she transformed and leaped off the balcony to the street. Picking up her fans, she held them like katanas, ready for a fight. The robber looked up quickly, but continued to scoop the last of the jewels into a bag, watching her warily.

"You know, I always wonder what jewel thieves think they're going to do with them after they steal them," Madeline said slyly. "Each jewel is encoded with a serial number, they're hard to fence these days."

The robber scowled, drawing a gun. "Back away, Night Wing, or I'll shoot."

"Try me," Madeline's voice lowered in challenge, her eyes never leaving the jewel thief's. She saw his finger twitch and a moment later a shot cracked loudly in the street. Madeline dove to the side, spreading her fans and stopping the bullet in its tracks with a perfectly timed breeze. When she looked up, however, she realized the jewel thief had been trying to distract her. Cursing under her breath, Madeline started running, using her powers to dodge a crowd of shocked people and land gracefully on the other side without slowing down.

"I swear, if you make me late…" Madeline grumbled. She was already nervous about going to dinner with Gabe's family, chasing a robber wasn't helping matters.

The man skidded around a corner and sprinted toward a waiting van. Madeline kicked off the ground, flipping over the jewel thief to beat him to the van, but another shot sounded and she felt the bullet graze her arm before she could roll completely out of the way.

Landing with a thud on the street, she winced in pain, touching the place where she had been hit. It was only a scratch, but it stung like the devil.

The robber turned at that moment to take another shot, but he stopped just as he raised the gun, completely frozen. Madeline looked up to see Hawk Moth standing on the roof of the van, humor sparkling in his eyes.

"Night Wing," Gabriel's mouth pulled into a smile as he eyed Madeline across the rooftop.

"Hawk Moth," she replied, fighting down a laugh. "What brings you here?"

Gabriel shrugged, glancing at the jewel thief. "I imagine the same thing as you."

"I thought you said you weren't cut out to be a hero," Madeline replied, her heart thumping with surprise. Gabriel chuckled, jumping down off the van and taking a step closer to her.

"I changed my mind," he smiled, so close now that she could see the flecks of blue in his gray eyes. Madeline wanted to put her arms around him and kiss him senseless, but stopped herself just in time.

"Oh?" Madeline replied coyly. "What made you do that?"

Gabe shrugged, his mouth quirking up once more. "I don't know. Some girl I know made me realize how much good I can do. Besides, I figured you could use a partner."

Tucking back a smile, Madeline stepped back as police officers arrived and cuffed the jewel thief. She gave Gabriel a smile, tilting her head to study him.

"Well, Hawk Moth, I think we might make a great team after all."

Gabriel chuckled, leaning toward her with a spark of humor in his eyes. "Are you doing anything later?"

Throwing a flirtatious smile and wink over her shoulder at Gabe, Madeline replied, "Sorry, I have a previous engagement."

With that, she took to the sky again, making her way back to her apartment as fast as she could. She still had time to go back and change into the dress Gabe had made for her. If she used her powers, she would make it to the restaurant just in time.

Dropping onto her balcony, Madeline quickly shimmied into the dress and put on her favorite pair of black heels to match. Deciding that a tasteful side ponytail would do just fine, she transformed back into Night Wing and flew the remaining distance to the restaurant. She knew she was cutting it close, but she could make it.

As she neared the restaurant, she caught sight of Gabe below, looking every bit the handsome designer she loved in his suit. Dropping into the alley between the restaurant and the next building, she quickly transformed back and sauntered over to Gabriel as though they hadn't been fighting crime mere minutes ago.

"Is the night still young?" she asked, causing Gabe to look up and smile as he surveyed her up and down.

"Wow, you look great," he said as he took her hand. "Cutting it kinda close though, don't you think?"

"I had a previous engagement," Madeline teased as Gabe held the door open for her. She heard him try to cover up his laugh with a cough and smiled. She and Gabe were perfect partners, in more ways than one.


	31. Chapter 31

Of course, the information _accidentally_ slipped about where the Agreste family would be that night, so when they arrived at the restaurant, they were met by photographers and press who weren't even _supposed_ to be there. The manager had a difficult time shooing them all away, but even then, Gabriel couldn't help but notice the smug look on his father's face. For someone who had it all, he really loved the spotlight…

"Glad you could make it, Miss Masson," John said while giving Madeline a dashing smile. Madeline and Gabriel just glanced knowingly at each other. Suddenly it didn't matter that she didn't come from wealth. As long as she brought publicity to the family, John didn't care about much else.

Before anyone else could get even a word in, another round of photographers pushed their way past security and cameras began flashing in all directions, nearly blinding Gabriel in the process. One by one, reporters and journalists shouted out questions.

"Is Miss Madeline Masson wearing your work?"

"Mr. Agreste, did you know your son was Gawain Papillion this entire time?"

"Madeline! How did you and Gabriel meet each other?"

Gabriel just stared blankly at the sudden crowd all while his father smoothly answered questions for him. He knew he shouldn't have come to dinner. The trap had been set before he even arrived.

It was a flicker of a movement and Gabriel wouldn't have caught it if he hadn't been watching Madeline at that moment. Although he couldn't see who did it, he saw someone put a piece of paper in Madeline's hand. Gabriel craned his neck to read it, but amidst the chaos, he couldn't see a thing. However, Madeline's expression looked determined the moment she read whatever lay on the paper.

"Get out of my way!" a voice cried from the crowd and Gabriel's face became ghostly pale as he watched Samantha elbow her way through to their table before wrapping her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his cheek. "I've missed you, Gabikins."

Gabriel scowled and pushed Samantha off him, uncaring that they had an audience. "What are you doing here, Samantha? This has got to stop."

"I don't know what you're talking about, sweetie. But we still have so much to discuss about our wedding such as the venue, the flowers, the cake, and definitely what you'll be wearing. Of course, you can't outshine _me_. That's a given."

Samantha kept talking and talking and combined with the flashing cameras, the microphones in his face, and the drowning hubbub coming from the crowd, Gabriel felt as if he was going to explode. Suddenly, he couldn't take it anymore. He had to get out of here.

Hastily grabbing a hold of Madeline's hand, Gabriel pulled her up from her chair and together they ran out of the building, not daring to stop to catch their breaths until they were at least a good couple of blocks away. It wasn't until then when Gabriel covered his face with his hands, feeling completely embarrassed at tonight's turn of events.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Madeline," Gabriel said as he finally allowed himself to look at her. "I didn't know this would happen, I swear. S-S-Samantha was only t-trying to get attention, that's all. And my parents—"

"It's alright," Madeline laughed. "I didn't go into this blindly, you know. I knew that dating you would come with some baggage."

He sighed in relief, grateful that Madeline was acting so accepting of the lifestyle he had grown up with and didn't necessarily like.

Reaching out for her hand, he asked, "Let's go for a walk instead? I think a peaceful Paris night sounds wonderful."

Madeline's lips pressed together and she shook her head, fingering the white piece of paper in her hands. "Actually… There's someone who has asked to meet you. He's called the Great Guardian, otherwise known as Master Fu—the protector of the Miraculouses. He taught me everything I know."

Gabriel grimaced and subconsciously touched the butterfly Miraculous hidden beneath his shirt. Surely this Great Guardian would take it away.

"Can we put this meeting on hold?"

"No, we can't. Come on."

She pulled him by the hand, weaving through the streets and through back alleys until they stood in front of a modest two-story building. It looked like it could be a yoga studio, but he also knew that looks could be deceiving.

"There's nothing for you to be worried about, okay?" Madeline reassured. "Master Fu is like a father to me. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it hadn't been for his kindness."

Gabriel said nothing. In fact, he _couldn't_ say anything—his nervousness kept his mouth clamped shut.

The two of them entered the building and immediately, incense rushed in to greet him as if it had been burning all day. It took all his willpower to choke back the cough that tickled his throat. What was this place?

As if in answer to his question, a small Chinese man stepped into the room wearing a smile, bowing to each of them. Madeline bowed in return while Gabriel stood there dumbfounded. This was the Great Guardian? Somehow Gabriel had expected someone—well— _bigger_ and perhaps tougher looking too.

"Don't let looks deceive you," Master Fu chuckled, his eyes shining humorously. "I can take you down faster than you can even blink."

Somehow, Gabriel doubted that.

But just like he said, Gabriel couldn't even blink before Master Fu rushed forward and suddenly, Gabriel found himself pinned to the ground with his arm wrenched painfully behind his back, his face smashed against the wood panelling. His eyes widened in shock when Master Fu released him and Gabriel got to his feet, brushing himself off. Madeline laughed at him, but all he could do was blush at having been taken down so easily.

 _Note to self_ — _never get on Master Fu's bad side._

"So you're the one who managed to find the missing Miraculous," Master Fu said as they all sat down cross-legged on floor cushions as they enjoyed tea and dessert. Or at least Gabriel _tried_ to enjoy it, but he felt like a nervous wreck.

"Y-Y-Yes," Gabriel replied and when the china in his hand began rattling, he put his tea down and wrung his hands together in his lap.

Master Fu held out his hand and Gabriel didn't even dare try fighting him for it. Instead, he unclasped the brooch from beneath his shirt and handed it over, feeling a great sense of loss the moment in was no longer in his possession. The Chinese man inspected it closely before grunting in approval.

"This most certainly is the real deal. Honestly, I never thought I'd see it in my lifetime. I had only heard rumors about its whereabouts, but I'm very glad to see it. It's finally home."

Inspecting it for another thirty seconds, Master Fu took him by surprise by handing the Miraculous back to him and closing his fingers around the brooch. "Madeline has told me about how you bravely and selflessly used the Miraculous to help others in need. I don't think there's anyone more suited to the job than you. If you continue to live true to a Miraculous holder's values, you may keep the Miraculous."

"What?" Gabriel asked, blinking back his surprise. "I can keep it?"

Madeline laughed at his expression before taking his hand and kissing his fingers. "I need a great partner, after all. If you ask me, we work well together."

Master Fu smiled at their conjoined hands, but Gabriel couldn't pay attention for long as he gazed down at the brooch in his palm. He could keep it! He didn't have to stop being Hawk Moth! There was so much he could still learn. Surely he hadn't even grazed the power that the butterfly Miraculous held.

"However…" Master Fu said, his tone becoming serious. "Madeline has told me you have a book. This book has been lost for ages, but it's pertinent that I get it back. Where is it?"

Gabriel clenched his jaw as he contemplated telling the truth, but that would halt his research right in its tracks. He needed the book to continue his studies.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Gabriel turned on his professional Agreste expression and lied straight to the man's face. "I'm afraid that I don't know where the book is. I'm sorry, Master Fu. After the fight with La Panthère, the book has been missing ever since. I don't have any way of knowing if it fell out of my luggage or if the book was taken."

Master Fu's expression fell but he nodded. "We'll just have to be on the lookout for it then. If that book gets in the wrong hands, a lot of damage can be done."

Although Gabriel felt guilty for lying, he knew he couldn't give the book back. Not when discovery was right at his fingertips. He'd hide this secret with his life, even if that meant hiding it from the one person he loved more than anything in this world.


	32. Chapter 32

The top of the Notre Dame bell tower was chilly now, the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon hours ago. Madeline gazed out at the city, enjoying the stillness. Paris was quiet tonight, a rare occurrence in a huge city like this. She sighed, leaning against the cool stone. This night reminded her of the one several months ago when she had seen Gabe for the first time. Little had she known then that she had just met the love of her life. Monique had been right all along.

"What are you thinking about, my love?" Gabe asked, stepping out of the shadows to join her. Madeline smiled contentedly, leaning back into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Just thinking," she smiled, tilting her head back and stealing a quick kiss. "Master Fu's lessons are paying off. I almost didn't hear you coming."

Gabriel snorted, shaking his head. "Sure you did. I saw you jump, Mads. I think I got you that time."

Madeline made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat and she felt a rumble of laughter in Gabriel's chest. Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes, turning to face him.

"Fine," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You got me that time. Happy?"

"Extremely," Gabe replied, kissing the tip of her nose. "I love you, Night Wing."

Heat filled Madeline's chest at his words. She pressed a kiss to his lips, pulling him closer by his lapels. Her life had turned out nothing like she had planned, thank goodness Duusu had been right. Everything had turned out so much better.

"I—I have something to ask you," Gabe fumbled over his words, nervously releasing her and patting his pocket. "T-this seemed like the perfect spot, but…"

Madeline tucked back a smile. It was cute when Gabriel got nervous, she hadn't seen him this flustered in a while. Becoming a hero had given him so much confidence, as had starting his own fashion company now that the secret was out about his designs. He had changed a lot over the last few months, but Madeline was glad that a little of his awkward shyness remained. It was part of why she had fallen in love with him.

"Madeline," Gabe said, taking a deep breath and producing a diamond ring that had to be at least three carats. Madeline gasped as she stared at the ring he held out to her, her heart swelling with joy.

"You are the most amazing woman I have ever met," Gabe continued, pronouncing his words carefully as though trying to keep his nervous stutter at bay. "It has been an adventure being your boyfriend and I want that adventure to continue for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?"

In answer, Madeline threw her arms around him, giving him a thorough kiss. They turned slightly and Gabriel lost his footing, slipping backward out of the bell tower. Madeline grabbed him just in time, but not before she saw the sparkle of the ring dropping to the street below. She and Gabriel both swore at the same time, watching as a man stooped down and picked it up off the ground, staring in wonder for a moment before sliding it into his pocket.

"Hey!" Gabe barked. "Stop! That's mine!"

The man glanced up in horror and broke into a dead sprint. Madeline and Gabe took off after him. Madeline landed lightly in front of the man, cutting off his forward escape, while Gabriel moved in behind him, cutting off the way he had come.

"Hand it over," Madeline growled, holding her fans like katanas. "Or I promise you're going to regret it."

The thief stood between them, sweat beading on his brow. His eyes darted wildly around for an exit, but there was none. He was trapped.

"Are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" Gabriel asked, his eyes flashing. "That ring is worth...well, more than your whole life."

What happened next happened so fast, neither Madeline nor Gabriel reacted quickly enough. Instead of trying to fight or run, the thief threw the ring as hard as he could into the river. Madeline let out a cry as the diamond disappeared into the water. But before she could go in after it, Gabriel already had the thief marching down to the bank and swimming out into the current.

"That'll teach you stealing is wrong," Gabriel said cooly, coming to stand next to Madeline. "This one isn't overly bright, he's not hard to control."

He gave her a little wink, causing Madeline to giggle. When the thief came up at last with the ring in his hand, Gabriel made him walk back and hand the ring back to him. It was a little dirty from being at the bottom of the Seine and a bit of weed clung to the center stone, but otherwise it looked undamaged.

"Can I go now?" the man whined. "You got your miserable ring back."

Gabriel silenced him with a look, taking Madeline's hand again with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Pardon the interruption," he teased, kneeling in front of her. "What do you say? Will you be my wife?"

"Yes!" Madeline squealed, kneeling down and kissing Gabriel until she felt as though she might turn to jelly. The only thing that pulled them out of it was a wolf whistle from the captive thief. Madeline giggled, resting her forehead against Gabriel's.

"Our lives are never going to be boring, are they?" she laughed softly. Even their proposal had been an adventure and a half.

"I hope not," Gabe replied, pulling her to her feet and kissing her again. "I really hope not."


	33. Epilogue

**A/N: WARNING! As we all know, Gabriel Agreste does NOT get a happy ending. So if you're wanting a happy ending, stop here. But if you want to see what happened to Madeline and why Gabriel grew so cold, continue reading.**

"Father…" a little ten-year old boy whimpered as he clung onto Gabriel's jacket, both of them watching fearfully from out the window as dark clouds enveloped the sky, the ground shook with tremors, and the land filled with rising smoke. Gabriel had never seen this kind of power before and it scared him. This went beyond any villain he had ever fought before—it was obvious that this villain had planned this attack on Paris for a very long time, calling the Miraculous holders out like a moth to the flame. If they didn't do anything, Paris would be destroyed. If they went out and fought…

"Father," Adrien said again, tugging a little harder on Gabriel's jacket to get his attention. "What's happening?"

Gabriel turned and gazed down at his little boy, smoothing his blonde hair with the palm of his hand. Adrien looked so much like his mother with nearly no resemblance in physical or personality attributes to his father. The only thing they had in common was the smile they shared. His boy meant everything to him and he wouldn't allow him to get hurt.

"Everything will be alright," Gabriel tried to soothe, knowing that the words that came from out of his mouth was a lie.

The earth shook violently again, causing several picture frames to fall off the walls and shatter on the floor.

"Gabe!" Madeline cried as she turned around the corner, her eyes wide and frantic. "We must leave him."

Despite not wanting to leave his son on his own, he knew he had no choice. So he took a deep breath and stepped away just in time for Madeline to rush toward Adrien and smother him in her arms, planting kisses all over the young boy's face.

"I love you, Adrien," Madeline said, giving him another tight squeeze. "Be brave for me, okay? Just like your favorite superhero."

Adrien wiped his tears away with the back of his hand and nodded. "Where are you and father going?"

Madeline wiped his remaining tears away with her thumb and gave him a soft, genuine smile. "Not far, sweetheart. I promise. We'll be back in a jiffy."

Their hands were held fast together but slowly slid out of one another's grasp, and Gabriel could hardly look back after that. Just seeing how afraid his son looked… He'd just rather not see it at all.

"Nathalie," Gabriel ordered to the new assistant he hired last week, who stood in the corner with a clipboard hugged tightly to her chest. "Watch Adrien."

The assistant nodded and without another word, Gabriel and Madeline hurried out of there and when no one was watching, they turned into their alter egos in the blink of an eye. Still, something felt so absolutely wrong—a bad feeling that Gabriel just couldn't shake.

"Let's go!" Night Wing cried as she took off and Hawk Moth followed closely behind. Only when she leaped into the sky did he summon his akumas to lift him up and follow her. What he saw shook him to the core. Many buildings in the city had been destroyed, not to mention the billowing flames leaping toward the clouds above, most likely caused by gas lines breaking during the earth tremors.

Soon enough, the two of them caught sight of a dreary black cloud and in the middle of that black cloud stood an all-too-confident figure wearing a golden mask that covered his entire face except his mouth, staring them down. Even as he stayed suspended in his black cloud, he looked as if he could be an Egyptian god himself. His mask was gold, his clothing was gold, the jewelry around his wrists and ankles were gold, and even the curved scepter he held in his hand was gold.

"It's about time you showed up!" the man laughed, his deep voice ringing out above the high winds. "I was starting to wonder if you'd make an appearance."

"Who are you?!" Night Wing cried as she clung tightly to a lightning rod that extended high above the building.

"I've been called many names in my lifetime, but you may refer to me as Golden Hornet."

Hawk Moth clenched his fists as he glanced over at his beautiful wife. The horrible feeling in his stomach wouldn't disappear. "Mads, get out of here. Please. There's something about him that is different from all the other villains we've faced."

"No," Night Wing growled. "I should be here by your side."

"You should be safe at home with our son! I can take care of this."

"I can help you!"

Before they could argue any further, Golden Hornet shot a bolt of lightning from his rod and pointed it toward Night Wing. However, Night Wing quickly dodged out of the way and rolled onto the lower roof. Just seeing this villain attack his wife caused anger to course through Hawk Moth's veins. How dare he try to hurt his wife!

"Fly, my little akumas!" he cried and at his beckoning, a hundred purple butterflies escaped his purple-orbed staff and dispersed throughout Paris. One by one as people turned to flee the scene, they were captured by the akumas' power, making them do Hawk Moth's bidding. It took so much of his strength to control so many people at once, but for Night Wing's sake, he had to. If it meant that she'd be safe, he would do anything in his power.

"If you want hornets, I'll show you hornets," Hawk Moth growled, ignoring the pounding headache in his brain from exerting so much energy at once.

While some of the akumatized victims stayed on the ground and transformed into large rock monsters that were at least seven feet tall, others took to the skies in yellow and black outfits, a loud, deafening buzzing filling the air.

Unfortunately, it almost appeared as if Golden Hornet had expected such an attack. With one powerful swipe of his hand, the wind obeyed him and swept the akumatized victims aside with a powerful gust. Still, Hawk Moth forced his victims forward once more, this time creating enough distraction for Night Wing to zip forward and land a blow to the enemy.

Golden Hornet let out a yelp before seeming to lose his focus and falling at least a hundred feet until he smashed into the ground. A fall like that could've killed any normal person, but bugs were resilient. Weren't they?

"I got this," Night Wing smirked and Hawk Moth attempted to call her back, but his concentration was focused on keeping his victims doing his bidding.

Hawk Moth grit his teeth as he continued to control his hornets to buzz around the enemy all while his rock giants moved forward to attack. However, Golden Hornet proved to be much quicker and much more skilled than he previously anticipated. Even Night Wing seemed to have a difficult time getting close enough to strike another blow. But she never stopped trying and Hawk Moth never stopped doing his best to protect her. It was just another enemy. They could defeat him. They had to.

The earth shook violently once more, causing Hawk Moth to lose his balance and with his level of concentration lowered, he lost control of half of his akumatized victims in the process.

He cursed under his breath, knowing that he didn't have enough strength to send out more akumas. They would have to do with what they had.

The fighting commenced and although the city continued to get torn apart from earth tremors and rain started to fall from the sky in thick sheets, the two of them never stopped fighting their hardest.

Golden Hornet smirked at Hawk Moth and a pit formed in his stomach. What was he—

His question was immediately answered as the enemy shot a rock as if it came from his hand, the rock barrelling toward his akumatized hornets like a boomerang and destroying each of their necklaces that held the akumas in the process. Almost as if from poison, his victims dropped like flies.

"You have proven to be worthy adversaries, Hawk Moth and Night Wing. I look forward to the day when we shall meet again."

Just like that, Golden Hornet gathered up his stormy clouds and took to the skies in an attempt to escape, but Night Wing looked like she had other plans.

"We can't let him get away!" Night Wing cried as she, too, leaped to the skies and flew after him.

"Madeline, no!" Hawk Moth screamed, but he was only able to run forward a couple of feet before it felt as if time moved in slow motion. Golden Hornet looked as if he had been expecting Night Wing to follow after him and so fast that Gabriel could hardly even comprehend it, Golden Hornet summoned a large bolt of lighting from the sky, almost as if he had been saving it for last. And with deadly accuracy, Golden Hornet launched the lightning bolt at Night Wing, her eyes wide as she seemed to realize that she couldn't dodge it in time.

The bolt of lightning struck her and her body writhed before her costume's wings ceased to work. Madeline began falling and even though Gabriel shouted and screamed as he rushed in her direction, he could hear none of it, as his deafening heartbeat pulsed loudly in his ears, drowning out all other sounds.

Madeline smashed through the wreckage of a building below her and by the time Gabriel managed to reach her, Golden Hornet had all but disappeared, leaving behind his torrential downpour in the process.

"Madeline!" Gabriel choked back a sob as he started digging through the rubble and throwing it aside, but some pieces were far too heavy for him to lift. Thankfully, he had one rock monster left who picked up the remaining rubble enough for Gabriel to drag his wife out and into the middle of the street.

Her costume flickered out, leaving behind Madeline wearing her normal everyday clothes, but just the sight of her made Gabriel's heart stop.

Blood soaked the front of her shirt, matted her hair, and even trickled out the side of her mouth. She was hurt—badly.

"Gabe…" she whispered, lifting her hand to cradle the side of Gabriel's face.

Gabriel sobbed and held her hand tight to his cheek, never looking away from her green eyes that appeared more dull and lifeless than he had ever seen them before.

"D-d-don't d-do this to m-me," Gabriel stuttered, not bothering to wipe his tears away. "Don't leave me, p-p-please."

He heard sirens in the distance, taking a small amount of comfort knowing that help was on its way.

His transformation melted away, but he never took his eyes off his beautiful wife.

"I'm sorry," Madeline said so quietly that Gabriel wasn't even sure she said anything at all. "I tried. I couldn't do it. Please take good care of our son…"

Madeline's eyes started to drift closed and her head began to fall to the side, but Gabriel roughly grabbed a hold of her chin and turned it so she faced him once more, her eyes fluttering open the slightest bit.

"Y-y-you can't leave me!" Gabriel cried. "My life has no meaning without y-y-you!"

To his surprise, Madeline gave him the briefest flicker of a smile as her eyes drifted closed for the last time. With her last breath, she whispered, "I love you, Gabe. More than life itself."

And then her body stilled as her heart stopped beating. Gabriel could only stare in shock, it not completely sinking in that his wife was dead.

Madeline was dead. Madeline was dead. Madeline was dead.

Finally, the knowledge sunk in and Gabriel couldn't stop the heavy sobs that escaped his mouth. He sobbed over her lifeless body. He sobbed over their lost time together. He sobbed that he'd never get to see her beautiful smile again. Madeline was his life and that had been so suddenly stripped away from him, leaving him bare.

Sadness melted into anger as Gabriel thought of how this was Golden Hornet's fault. He killed his wife! He killed her!

"I will make you pay!" Gabriel shouted to the skies as large droplets of rain fell from the mourning clouds, soaking every inch of him and drowning him in his heartache. "I swear on my very last breath, you will pay for what you have done!"

His voice got drowned out by the heavy rainfall, but he vowed to himself that no matter the cost, no matter how long it took, he would make Golden Hornet pay for what he had done and he'd find a way to bring his wife back from the dead in the process. No matter what it took, he vowed to make this right.


End file.
